The two of me
by Blood Masks
Summary: I had a dream that night, a nightmare. I would yell Yuuri's name but no sound would come out. When I looked up Yuuri was leaving with someone by his hand, that someone was me. But another me... Those eyes weren't mine.
1. Chapter 1: Yuuri's POV

Disclaimer: I do not own Kyou Kara Maou, or any of it's characters. I only own my imagination that likes to play with them.

Hello readers,

to those of you who are following my two ongoing stories, I apologise! I should probably be updating those instead of publishing a new one. But I actually wrote this one a while ago, so it's practically already finished, I just haven't revised or spell checked it. I decided to post it here since I'm having a hard time updating the other two, so at least I'll have something ready for you by the end of the year!

Hope you enjoy, don't forget to read the warnings!

Warnings: this story is M rated because of language, mild violence and strong "images" in later chapters. There might be some lemon too (if I decide to add it to a particular chapter later on), but probably not.

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><p>Prologue:<p>

~ O ~

"_Who are you"_

_Those were the words, the exact words that came out of his mouth the moment he saw me._

~ O ~

Chapter 1: Yuuri's POV

I hear a loud thump while waking up. I doesn't take me long to figure out my head has been the one to produce it, when it banged against the floor. Wolfram has kicked me out of bed once more. It's nothing to be surprised about really, it happens less and less as time goes by, but I'm used to it already.

I stood up holding my head with one hand, trying to ease the pain that's going through my cheek, maybe this time I really broke my skull against the marble floors. I put my free hand on the bed for support while I stand and apparently disturb Wolf's sleep as doing so, because he's waking up.

"Good morning..." he says sitting on the bed rubbing his eyes. I smile at him. He es what you could call criminally cute when he's just waking up, his hair a little messy, but just as beautiful, shining under the morning sunlight. It is also the only moment when his inner innocence will show through. He's an angel, a sleepy angel. I don't think it gets cuter than that.

"Yuuri, what happened to your face?" he says, apparently fully awake now, he is looking at my left cheek with almost horror in his eyes, it really doesn't suit such a face. But wait, why is he looking at me like that?

I follow the path of his eyes, he looks at my face, then to the ground and finally himself, then he repeats the same trail a few times. He's doing the math inside his head. His expression changes.

"Oh, dear Shinou... Yuuri, I'm so sorry..." he says and takes one hand up to his mouth, but it only makes it up to his chin, like he has lost the strength to go the final distance.

"Don't worry about it, it happens all the time, right?" I say and try to give him a wide smile, but a sharp pain goes through my face, preventing me from doing it.

"Yuuri, the mirror..." That's all Wolf says, he points at the full body mirror that is next to my closet.

Ok, this really hurts, but being a baseball player I have fallen on my face more than a few times, so it's fine. Well, actually being a catcher is not like I get to run or fall much, and thinking about it I haven't played in months now, how long has it been since I last went to Earth? Anyhow, this surely can't be that bad...

OH HOLY SHIT!

How did it get so swollen so fast? My left cheek is currently changing colors form bright pink to a really gross purple. It is really big and close to the eye, if I don't treat this it will probably swell so much I wont be able to open my eye. I think I may even have a small cut there in the middle, right in my cheekbone. I look like I just walked out of the worse bar fight ever!, getting hit with a broken bottle and all. And only two weeks before my eighteen birthday!

I suddenly realize Wolfram is standing right behind me, he's wearing his pink nightgown, the one with long sleeves that is long down to the ankles. He looks like a ten years old that has just done something his parents told him not to. How could I get mad at him when he's looking at me like that, is like he's about to cry! That's really not fair Wolf, I should be angry, you just disfigured my face! But, what the hell...

"Come on, don't look at me like that. It's not like a fatal wound or anything. We'll go see Gisela and she'll fix me right up" I say trying to sound as much Conrad-like as I can to reassure him, cause I can't actually smile at him.

"Okay..." he says looking at his feet. I've never seen his so submissive before, he has literally chased me around the castle trying to purposely burn me to cinders, so this really isn't that big of a deal, right?

It's really early, around five I think, so nobody's up yet. We take advantage of that and get dressed really quickly so we can go see Gisela before anyone sees me. Something tells me Günter might not be as understanding of the matter as I am. It was an accident, so there's no need to make Wolf go through the spanish inquisition over it.

We run across one or two maids on the way, but otherwise the path is clear when we reach the infirmary, sadly, Gisela is not here, actually no one is.

"Where is everybody?" I ask to the walls, but seeing that they would not reply, Wolfram decides to answer my question.

"Probably at the training ground, Gisela is a soldier after all"

And so we waited

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><p>This are really short chapters compared to what I usually write, but I'll update often so don't worry. Also, this is the first time I'll be changing POVs in every chapter in this fandom, any suggestions?<p> 


	2. Chapter 2: Wolfram's POV

Disclaimer: Don't own them ;)

Well hello again, as I said, I have this story already writen, so I'll be updating really quickly, whenever I find the time to spell check a chapter.

R & R guys!

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><p>Chapter 2: Wolfram's POV<p>

Yuuri is sitting on one of the infirmary beds, his right side is facing me, so I don't know the actual state of his wound. I think he's doing that on purpose.

This morning, when I finally understood what had happened I almost felt like crying. At first I thought someone had gotten inside the castle and attacked Yuuri, but that was really unlikely, given he was looking at me with such a relaxed, almost moronic looking face. He does that sometimes, when I'm sleeping, I can feel him watching me. It's kind of creepy, but I like it. It means he is no longer indifferent towards me.

He looks at me, his face is so swollen he can't really bring himself to smile, but I know he's smiling at me, I can see it in his eyes.

I take a closer look into his lips, they seem to be a little bruised too, but they are beautiful all the same, I really love those lips, even if they are not meant for me. Right now they look swollen, like if he had been kissing someone. Some unspeakable thoughts go through my mind...

Wait... did I just sounded a little like Günter back there?, and I'm beginning to think I'm staring. Now I'm just scaring myself.

Gisela just walked through the door, I thank Shinou in my thoughts, because I just noticed Yuuri was staring right back at me.

"Dear Shinou! Heika, what happened to you?" she almost screamed when she saw Yuuri, I get the reason, but she didn't have to me so dramatic... It was just an accident...

"Mmm... well... I fell out of bed" he said and tried to smile wimpily, but he winced instead. I rush over to his side and take his hand. I have no idea of why I'm doing this, but apparently the gesture is appreciated since Yuuri is squeezing mi hand.

Gisela is now rushing over from one side to the other gathering things, maybe she didn't need any further explanation or she's simply assuming I was the one to throw Yuuri out of the bed, because I really don't think someone could get this hurt by just falling out of bed by themselves. The important thing is that she isn't asking any more questions, which is good, but I'm just getting really nervous looking at her run around.

The squeezing again.

"What is it Yuuri?" I say in the softer tone I can manage.

"Nothing, you just looked like you were in more pain than I am right there. Is kinda cute, but I don't like to see you frowning, it doesn't suit you"

Did I just hear that right? Maybe Yuuri hit his head even harder than I thought, he would never say something like that so openly. I can't help to smile though, and I feel the blood going up to my head. I look away so he doesn't see me blushing, but I think the wimp got to see anyway. I feel like running and hiding right now, but I stay firm, mainly because Yuuri won't let go of my hand.

Gisela, noticing Yuuri won't let me leave his side, sits at the other side of Yuuri and begins healing Yuuri's opened wound on the middle of the big swelling. It closes up nicely and the more purple areas, more like black actually, are now becoming a bright shade of pink.

"That is all I can do for you now Heika, you'll have to wait for the swelling to come down" She says and walks to the little table in which she left all the stuff she had gathered before.

"I'll make you an ointment that should speed up the healing process" she is now grinding what I recognise as medicinal herbs with scary precision.

"But Heika, please refrain yourself from _falling _out of bed" why is she looking at me while she says that? I unconsciously humphed and looked away. It's a habit, this time I really didn't mean it.

As though Yuuri saw right through me he lest go of my hand, but, to my surprise he just puts it on my shoulder and draws me a little closer to him.

"I'll try" he says, I'm sure on the inside he is completely grinning.

As we leave with the ointment in my hands and the instructions on how to use it in my head Gisela stops us.

"Here Heika, for the pain, only take one every day, they can cause drowsiness, so try not to do any heavy activities or anything that requires much concentration" she hand him a flask with some really big pills inside.

He must be jumping up and down on the inside, he just got out of paperwork signing duty

"Hey Wolf, that means I won't be able to sign any paperwork in at least two days!"

See? Spot on. He actually jumped a little while saying it.

"Heika, Wolfram, you're up earl... Heika, what happened?" Is Conrart, who just popped out of nowhere. I wonder how many times will I have to listen to this question during the day, probably at least ten times, Günter's will be the more dramatic, no doubt.

I feel guilty enough you know... The last thing I would have wanted is to harm him, and to harm that face... It's just criminal. Something I have never criticised about Yuuri are his looks. The first time I saw him I thought he was a complete wimp, but a really, _really_ cute one.

Those eyes are what attracted me the most, not only because of the mesmerizing black colour, but because of how deep they are, I feel as though I could get lost in them and live happily never coming back.

I lower my head and prepare myself for Yuuri telling Conrart of how I, for the hundredth time, kicked him off the bed, and how this time I actually managed to do it with such force as to disfigure him. But his reply is not what I expected

"I was walking to the bathroom still half sleep and I slipped. I think the floor got a crack or two too. So I guess I didn't completely loose" Yuuri says while placing one hand behind his head, his signature wimp move.

Conrart smiles and lectures Yuuri into being more careful, then he starts walking on the direction of the garden, probably for breakfast. Yuuri follows and signals me to do the same.

But why? why did he cover up for me?

"Don't worry, it will be our little secret okay? In exchange you'll have to treat me with the ointment and stuff"

I swear, somewhere along the road this wimpy Maou learned how to read my mind.


	3. Chapter 3: Yuuri's POV

Third chapter guys, don't forget to leave a comment ;)

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><p>Chapter 3: Yuuri's POV<p>

We are walking on the direction of the garden, leaded by Conrad, I assumed it was because breakfast would be there, but now that I think about it, isn't too early for that? Or did I guessed the time wrong? My watch stopped working a week ago and it's not like I can get new batteries in here.

I was feeling kind of fuzzy back there, but I feel fine now. I'm actually more worried about Wolfram. I get the feeling he's beating himself up over this. I hope my story was credible enough. I am known for being a bit of a cumpls, although I've gotten better, specially in the last year. I think after almost three years of training with Conrat, Günter and Wolfram, I'm starting to get some results.

Speaking of which, I really want to show Wolf the new trick I learned. I learned to make little figurines with water using my marioku a few months ago, a much more aesthetic way of using it than the usual things the Maou's soul would pull, back when I first got here. Anyway, I just figured out a way to turn them into little ice sculptures. I want to give him something, maybe a frozen rose. He would definitely look gorgeous holding it under the moonlight...

Why do my thoughts always have to go there?

What was I trying to say? Oh yeah... Wolfram's looking at the ground while we walk, that is extremely weird, his perfect nose is _always_ pointing at the sky almost smugly.

Everybody on this country has treated me like I'm this irreplaceable, exceptional person, when I'm really just an average japanese guy who really enjoys baseball. Don't even get me started about their sense of aesthetics. But Wolf, he sees me for who I am, he sees the wimpy, too kind, short tempered, work in progress of a king that I am.

If anyone else had done this, they would be in the up tenth apology by now or ready to commit hara-kiri, or a correct mazoku equivalent, and I would probably be annoyed as hell, but Wolf...

"Hey Yuuri..." We turn the last corner and I can see everyone gathered around what looks like a picnic table, but before I can wave at then Wolf gets a hold of mi sleeve

"What is it Wolf?"

"Why did you lied?" What? when did I lied? I start searching my brain for the information and for Wolfram's face I figure he means why did I cover up for him with Conrart.

"I told you right? It's our secret" I wink at him, it hurt, but I think he didn't noticed. "It's our private life, they don't have to know"

Suddenly he's blushing, I didn't say anything weird, did I? Great, now I'm blushing... I can't look at him at the eyes, so now I'm looking at his mouth... bad move... really bad move...

"Good morning my little love birds, Heika, Wolfie" Lady Cheri to the rescue, I turn around to face her, forgetting about the state of the left side of my face. She lets out a high pitch squeal.

After almost half an hour, having explained my face to everyone and received massive scolding for my clumsiness, we finally begin our breakfast.

"Heika, we need to discuss the situation on the north eastern border" that low voice comes from Gwendal, who, as always, can't allow me to even have my breakfast in peace, but I understand, it's an important matter.

"Is it the humans again?" Before I can speak Wolfram asks with a scary glow on his eyes. He has come to understand what I mean with no race bias, and I think he's actually on board with my idea. But he's like a kid who likes to play soldier, well he is a soldier, but what I mean, he lights up with the idea of kicking some ass.

"Normally we would not interfere with their conflict, being that it is a civil war, but the issue is affecting the food plantations of one of our villages" Günter states.

"Isn't this matter under the jurisdiction of the noble family in charge of that area" I ask and suddenly every eye is on me. Lady Cheri looks worried.

"Yes Heika, but is..." Conrad looks at Wolfram.

"It's my family Yuuri" Oh crap, so it's the Bielefeld lands, how did I miss that? "Uncle can't act without your permission. Besides, I would like to handle this myself, it's only a contention issue, and my guard should be enough" he says matter of factly.

So as usual, I'm the only one who wasn't aware of this. I didn't even saw any reports about it between my paperwork.

"Wolf I don't want you to put yourself in danger, why can't you let your uncle take care of it?" I'm not sure why, but that was a bad thing to say, Wolfram looks like I just insulted him.

"Are you saying you don't think I could handle something as simple as this?" Oh, so that's why. Is stupid and incomprehensible, but that's it.

Here it begins, our pitched battle, I say I know he can handle it but that I don't want him to. He says I don't own him and that I can't decide what he'll do. I say I'm the fregging king and last time I checked I can decide. He tells me to try and tell him not to burn me to ashes.

And now I'm running.

So much for the little ice sculpture I wanted to give him. He'd just melt it down and throw the leftover water at my eyes.


	4. Chapter 4: Wolfram's POV

Hello guys, here's chapter four, hope you keep reading and enjoy!

R&R )

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><p>Chapter 4: Wolfram's POV<p>

Who the hell does Yuuri think he is?

I'm walking through the castle's halls. It's pitch dark so I'm lighting my way with my marioku, for some reason when the guards see me pass they look like they're shivering. It's probably because I burned the carpeting on the throne room this morning. Gwendal is definitely not going to let that one pass. But it was Yuuri's fault! I am more than capable of handling something as simple as a border contention issue.

Greta also asked me not to go when I went to say good night to her. I almost gave in to those big brown eyes, but she has to accept that her father is a soldier. In the even of a war starting between our country and the humans I'd have to go to the front as well.

Yuuri must probably be sleeping by now, I have been wandering around for about two hours now. I turn the corner and I see the silhouette of a man in the courtyard, I walk a little more and I realize it's Conrat, and Yuuri is also with him! They are playing their little "catch" game. They are talking and Yuuri laughs.

I wish I could talk to Yuuri in that way. They seem so relaxed. Lately all my conversations with him get ackward for some reason. He gets flustered and even avoids me sometimes. He was the one who said he wanted to be _friends__first_, even if it was to shut me up about our engagement. So why is he acting like that now? Is it that I make him uncomfortable even as a friend?

I hear Yuuri yelling a thank you to Conrart and he goes running, probably in the direction of our room. Then Conrart turns around and looks at me, he probably knew I was here all along.

"Can't sleep?" He asks as he approaches me.

"None of your business" I answer and humph.

He chuckles and leans against the wall next to me. I wonder what he is laughing about, maybe the fact that neither of us could sleep. Although my reasons are a little different.

"I'm leaving in the morning with my soldiers" I say running a hand through my hair. "Before dawn, so Yuuri won't notice" I add.

"He knows, Wolfram" he says calmly, think my jaw just popped open. Maybe I am more predictable than I thought. Is Yuuri planning to stop me? I'd have to leave right the way if he is.

"No one is going to stop you. _We_ know you are a trained soldier, and that you can handle yourself in this situations. That doesn't stop us for worrying" I think he stressed that _we_ because he means Yuuri. I'm feeling a little guilty for some reason. I look down.

"Why are you still here? you have few hours left of sleep" Conrart says and smiles, I can barely see it on pure moonlight, but he is definitely smiling.

I scoff and just take my leave without another word, but before I am too far away I mutter a _thank__you_, which I'm not sure he heard.

For some reason now I'm running. I feel this sudden urge to see Yuuri, to spend this night with him. It isn't like anything is going to happen to me while I'm gone, and I'm sure everyone here will keep Yuuri safe while I'm away. However, I have this feeling in the middle of my chest.

I reach the door to our room and take a few deep breaths before grabbing the door knob. It takes a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the light, or lack of it. Through the curtains a few rays of moonlight are filtering and making Yuuri's beautiful raven hair shine. He seems to be asleep so I go to the closet and change my clothes trying to make as little noise as possible.

I approach the bed. He's giving his back to my side of the bed. He has gotten more muscular in these three years, although he hasn't really grow that much, maybe a few inches. He hasn't changed much either. That makes me really happy, it means the mazoku blood in his body runs strong.

I climb up holding my breath and lay down next to him, allowing our backs to touch just a little bit. When I'm about to close my eyes and relax my body I feel him turning around and holding my by the waist. I gasp. We have woken up in this position before, but I always took it for an involuntary movement he did while sleeping, so I wait a little to see if he is, but then...

"Where have you been?" he asks with a half sleep tone.

"Nowhere..." It wasn't a brilliant answer, I know, but what more could you ask of me? I am practically frozen. This behavior is something really unexpected... and I'm really happy about it...

"Take care of yourself out there okay?" he says and holds me tighter. There's almost a pleading tone in his voice that makes my heart hurt a little.

"Of course I will, I don't know what you would do without me" I say trying to sound confident and nonchalant.

"Me neither" he says in an almost inaudible whisper. I hold his hand with mine and our fingers intertwine.

I think we both fell asleep at the same time right that second. I had a dream that night, a nightmare. I would yell Yuuri's name but no sound would come out. When I looked up Yuuri was leaving with someone by his hand, that someone was me. But another me. Those eyes weren't mine.

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><p>Any comments on how I'm doing on this changing POVs thing? Is really not what I usually do, so I'd like to know your opinion.<p> 


	5. Chapter 5: Yuuri's POV

Hey there! I feel so good being able to update so often! Is great to have the stories writen ahead of time. Although I still would like to get your opinions on the plot, I could always made some changes if some idea catches my eye.

So guys, we are getting closer to the dramatic part, stay put ;)

To **blackirishawk, **thank you so much! your last review really got me to smile :). I hope you keep reading and that this story doesn't disappoint you.

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><p><strong>Chapter 5: Yuuri's POV<strong>

When I woke up he was already gone.

Judging by the noises outside my bedroom and the amount of light outside I probably overslept. Last night Wolfram didn't came to bed after saying goodnight to Greta so I became restless and went out to burn some energy. That's when I found Conrad and Yozak talking on the courtyard, but before I was able to reach them Yozak was already gone. The life of a spy doesn't know night from day apparently.

Conrad offered to play some catch with me, he always does that when he sees me worried. We have done it so many times in the middle of the night that my eyes can see the ball now with even the slightest moonlight.

I asked him if Wolfram was planning on going to the field without my permission and he just remained silent. That was as good an answer as any. He reminded me once again of how Wolfram is a trained soldier and stuff. I know that, I've always known that. That's besides the point.

But I gave in at the end, I had given in since the beginning, but I had to try to stop him at the very least. I trust Wolf, I trust he would never give up the chance to come back to me without a fight. After a while playing and one of Conrad's bad puns I decided to head back to my our room to see if Wolf was there, but he wasn't.

I don't know if it was the fact of me being tired and maybe half asleep, but I hugged him last night, and it wasn't the least bit awkward, somehow it felt just right.

I turn around to Wolfram's side of the bed and hug his pillow, it smells like him, like flowers and the sun. I tell myself a couple hundred times that he's going to be just fine and get up.

I took a short bath and now I'm heading to my office to sign some paperwork, my stomach doesn't feel all that well so I skip breakfast.

When I get there, Gwendal is already waiting for me with a map extended on the table, Günter is here too.

"Good morning" I say and they greet me back.

"Heika we need to discuss if we are going to take retaliations towards the humans because of the damage their war has already caused to our lands" Gwendal is dry as always, not even a _did you sleep well? , _nothing, just straight to business.

"What are the damages exactly?" I ask, being that no one had the decency to inform me of this earlier I have no idea of what we are dealing with.

"They have ruined the entire season harvest on the village next to the border, we have already sent them sufficient food to replace it for the time being, but the soil might not be able to produce anything in a while, because of the fire damage" Günter says and holds me the reports about the food that was sent to them.

"Also, Wolfram and his troops would take at least two days and one night to get there, and we cannot estimate how much more damage has been made since the last report or will be made in those two days" Gwendal adds in perfect synch.

"Since this is a civil war we are talking about, who will be retaliating against? Don't you think butting in would make matters worse? Besides, I don't like the idea of doing anything that would put us in the position to start a war" Gwendal's eyes are twitching, he thinks I'm way too soft, but at least I know how to handle myself better in this situations now, it's not just yelling against war anymore, I have good arguments now.

"Well it is well known that countries have stopped their civil wars before, by giving their people a common enemy" Günter back me up with his teacher tone, but soon his face changes and he switches to his groopie mode. "Heika! You are so intelligent and kind hearted! Please count will all the support of your humble servant Günter!"

And there he goes again. Should have seen it coming.

~ O ~

Most of the day has gone by and now I'm sitting alone in my bedroom, I was thinking about taking a bath before going to sleep and this thought hit me, well, more like a memory.

When I first got to this castle, and to this world actually, they gave me this huge room and told me it was mine. They told me I could use the Maou's (mine) private bathroom that was reserved just for my use. And sure, it was pretty cool, but for a normal japanese high school student who had never lived in a house bigger that the regular suburban japanese house, this place was quite spooky.

At that time Wolfram crawled into my bed for the first time, and even when I had my reserves about the matter at first, there was one thing I was really grateful for. Wolfram would keep me company at nights, we would talk for hours about a lot of dumb things, and also, he would go with me to the bathroom whenever I wanted to take a bath at night. Thanks to him, not even in those moments I was afraid.

Now I can't imagine my life without Wolf. I really can't imagine life without any of my retainers, but he is different, from the start he was different. I've known for a long time now that we are engaged because we are bound by destiny, is a nice feeling actually.

But thinking about my own feeling for him... that's a field that has became blurry with time, specially lately. For a long time I thought of him as a friend, a best friend even, someone I couldn't live without, but now...

I think I'm actually blushing right now

I remember having a very vivid dream of Wolf saying goodbye to me this morning and kissing me, just a peck on the lips. I wonder if it really was a dream. A part of me really wishes that it wasn't...


	6. Chapter 6: Wolfram's POV

Hi readers, for this chapter I have a little **warning**: an OC is being introduced here, although you won't know much about this person in about two more chapters, if my memory isn't failing me.

Read and Review! :D

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><p>Chapter 6: Wolfram's POV<p>

We have been riding for one day and one night now, we only stopped for a few hours to sleep and eat and dawn is approaching once again. My soldiers have been well trained and they can resist this kind of traveling very well. When I travel with Yuuri it always takes twice as much to get anywhere. Because you know, he's a wimp.

I have been asking myself if I should have said goodbye to Yuuri... well, I did say it, he was just sleeping and doesn't know... I'm blushing a little remembering what I did so I fasten my pace for my soldiers not to notice.

That reminds me, this time I bring water wielders with me, as well as two magic dispelers, just in case. I have learned through my mistakes, this time I'm really prepared.

~ O ~

The situation is actually worse than we thought. Yesterday, the villagers had to evacuate because of the smoke. The line between our territory and the neighbour's country here is almost nonexistent. I knew that in the portion of the road where the imaginary line is, there are usually a couple of soldiers, because of our commercial relationships with the humans, products have to be inventoried before they pass. Right now this village has become an extent to their battlefield.

The houses are covered in ashes and the air is almost unbreathable. It's because of the new armaments the humans have been developing with their so called science. They have used herbs and other substances to create bombs and weapons that pollude the soils and kill you without even seeing who's attacking you.

As far as we can tell from here, aside from this weapons, there are no soldiers in sight in the battlefield, just regular man, even elderly men who don't even know how to properly hold a sword. If we were to fight them one to one, it wouldn't be a challenge, but we must be careful with them, and we also have to be on the look out for any hojutsu users, this might be mazoku land, but we are to close to the border to take the chance.

I order the water wielders to start putting our the fire in some of the houses and the earth wielders to be ready to form a barrier using the already ruined soil if we needed to drastically separate our lands. Fire and wind wielders will come with me to fight them out, we just need to make them back off enough for the village to be safe. Meanwhile those who can dispel magic are to find a higher ground from were they can look for any hojutsu users.

We protect ourselves from the smoke with masks provided by Anissina. That woman does something right every once in a while, thanks Shinou.

As we walk through the roads of the village we found a dreadful scenario. Dead bodies everywhere, even a few little children, all obviously mazoku. Some of them look like they died on their sleep, and others just look frozen on the spot. Is this what their weapons do? My blood is boiling, why did they had to bring their conflict into our ground? Why are they slaughtering our people with their cowardly weapons that don't distinguish between a woman, a child or a grown man?

"Your Excellency, I can see a large group ahead!" one of my underlings yells. There isn't a very big scandal in matter of noise, but for some reason, probably the poisonous substance in the air, our ears are ringing. The humans have been fighting in this conditions all along?

We reach the far end on the village and we found the battleground. My eyes are suddenly wide open. As far as you can see, all there is is fire and destruction, the human village can be seen from here, and it's already just ruins, an enormous black cloud is forming in the sky and the entire place in going down in flames. The ashes are led here by the wind and make it difficult to see, the smoke that is at ground height seems to be of a sickly looking green color and it makes my skin feel like it's burning.

"Wind wielders, we can't do anything in this conditions, disperse the smoke!" I yell and they do as I command, after a few failed attempts, they manage to disperse it enough for us too be able to normally see and hear again, but my heart shrinks when I see that the smoke reached the trees at the beginning of the forest. The leaves loose their lively green color, some of them dry completely and fall to the ground.

"May Shinou help us" I mutter to myself.

~ O ~

After over four days we have managed to save what was left of the village, and the conflict on the other side of the border seems to be about to reach it's end. I don't know what faction will come out victorious in their battle, but for what I see, none of them has many people left alive, and their village is completely destroyed.

We may have to think of the possibility of relocating all the people who survived, this land is far too dangerous and the soil is ruined, nothing will grow on it for at least five years. I have decided we will stay here one more night to assure the safety of the next village that is not very far away. In any case, their battle seems to have ended. A few bodies have ended up in our territory so I arrange for one of my trusted soldiers to go negotiate the devolution of the bodies. I have no problem with giving them back, but I'm not allowing any human to set a foot on this land to get them.

Yuuri tought me something about both human and mazoku. I can't say I think we are all the same. But a good person can come from everywhere. This people who destroyed our lands and killed our people who had nothing to do with their conflict... they don't deserve my pity, not even if they were mazoku.

I set my tent and after sending a pigeon with a letter to brother and Yuuri I get ready for sleeping. It has been a rough week and I'm exhausted, I can't wait to come back home and sleep next to Yuuri.

I've dreamt about him every night. I'm not sure when exactly I fell for that wimp. But it doesn't matter, a long time ago I decided I would always be by his side, even if he never loves me back. I'll protect him from this world, I'll protect him even if it costs me my life. I will not let him live something like what I have seen this past few days.

I lay down and close my eyes.

Besides, to be completely honest, the way Yuuri is acting lately, maybe I still have a little chance.

I let a small smile form on my lips, no one is watching anyways.

~ O ~

I wake up when I hear a noise coming from outside my tent. I can smell the scent of blood. I grab my sword and step outside carefully. Nothing could have prepared me for what I see.

All my soldiers are frozen on the spot, looking like they have been hypnotised, even the magic dispelers are in such a state. Those who were strong enough to resist are dead on the floor next to my tent, their bodies massacred, looking like they exploded from the inside and are now lying on pools of blood.

I bring my hand to my mouth and cover it when I see Johan, my second in command, there on the floor with no eyes and a severed left arm. He has a wife... and a newborn...

Who did this?

"Oh my, you must be a really strong one" I hear a female voice coming from behind me. I turn around and I see her, I can see the shadow of two men behind her. I grab my sword and adquire a defense stance.

"If you didn't succumbed to any on my tricks then that probably means you are the one I'm looking for" she says and laughs. I call upon my fire under my breath and form a small ball of it in my hand.

For a moment the fire lets me see her with clarity. My jaw drops. She has jet black hair, just like Yuuri's and eyes of a dark purple that seem to be burning with hatred. She is tall and has a voluptuous body. She is dressed entirely in black, with a long tight dress with a high neck but no sleeves. Who is this woman who dresses as the Maou and shares his hair color?

I throw the fire ball at her and she doesn't even try to avoid it. It actually disappears in front of her, like a barrier of a really strong power is protecting her, but I sense no marioku and no hojutsu coming from her.

She chants something in a language I can't understand and my vision becomes blurry.

"Now, now Wolfram von Bielefeld, play nice with me for a while"

That is the last thing I hear before fallig to the ground.


	7. Chapter 7: Yuuri's POV

Hi guys! We're getting close to the dramatic part so stay put!

R&R! ^^

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><p>Chapter 7: Yuuri's POV<p>

A pigeon with a letter arrived this morning saying Wolfram would be arriving tomorrow. I have missed him a lot this week, for whatever the reason I have been thinking about him a lot.

As I put my pijamas on, I do a recount of all the things that have been going through my mind this past few days without him. Specially about my feeling for Wolf.

I'm still not sure about a lot of things, but I think it's time to talk this out with him, maybe if we start slowly... who knows?

I jump into bed, a bed way too large for one person if I may add, and let myself be carried away to sleep.

~ O ~

Someone is humming a melody that I know from somewhere, I'm not sure whose voice this is, but I can smell Wolfram's scent, like flowers and the sun. The melody makes me feel strange, at peace but restless.

Suddenly I hear something, like glass breaking, and the song becomes silence, silence that hurts the soul and makes my heart shrink.

Even though I can't hear it, I know someone in calling for me. I run, and run, and run. I don't know if I'm advancing at all but I can't stop running in this direction. I have to get there, I have to do something!

And then I see it, far away is Wolfram, his clothes are ragged and he is lying on the floor lifeless. I keep running but I can't reach him.

Above me a golden light appears and I can feel a strong pain in my chest. From the light comes out a scream, full of pain and despair. A scream that cries for help in agony.

"Yuuri!" It's Wolfram's voice.

"Save him..." a whisper in my hear, the Maou's soul.

~ O ~

I wake up covered in sweat. And even though I just woke up I'm crying non-stop. This wasn't just a simple nightmare. Something is wrong, Wolfram is in danger!

I dress in about half a second and run to the stables to get Ao. She seems to be as upset as I am and is already awake when I get there. It's about three in the morning so nobody is there to stop me, except for a couple on guards.

There is no time to get to where Wolfram is by horse, so I have a better idea and head to the shrine at full speed. I know it makes no sence, I know the letter said everything was fine now and that he'd be coming back that same morning, but I'm sure about this, something is terribly wrong.

I get to the shrine and pass through the maidens, straight to meet Ulrike, they say something to me about not disturbing her, but I have no time for courtesies right now. Why are they all up anyway?

I open the doors and see Murata, Shinou and Ulrike standing next to the boxes, their eyes are on me in one second. I'm trying to recover my breath, they don't seem all that surprised to see me.

"So you saw it too, Shibuya" Murata says and looks at me with concern in his eyes.

"It's true then? What's happening to him?" I yell back, I don't mean to, but I'm really not in my right mind right now.

"Calm down Yuuri, we now as much as you do" Shinou comes out of the shadow. Oh God he's so serious, nothing good can come out of this.

"Lord Wolfram is in great danger, his soul has been crying for hours now, but we were only able to feel it a while ago" Ulrike says and grabs my hand to calm me down. I just noticed I'm crying, I haven't stopped since I woke up, I have no idea why. I cup my face to wipe the tears, but they keep coming out.

"Is his soul that's crying Shibuya, that's why you can't stop" Murata explains like he was just reading my thoughts.

"I have to get there Murata, I have to help him. I'm starting to loose it here, is as though I can feel Wolfram's pain going through me, he's being tortured or something, I can't just stand here anymore!"

"What do you want to do" he asks with that expression that means he already knows the answer.

"There is a small lake just five minutes away of were he is, I remember it because Gwendal said Wolfram could use it to put out the fire in the village"

I needn't say no more, the four of us nodded in agreement and headed to the fountain in the middle of the shrine.

"I can't go without you, I still can't direct myself so well" I say to Murata with pleading eyes.

"Are you sure you don't want to wait, wake up Lord Weller for example, we will need his force if we found ourselves face to face with the enemy" he says ever so calmly, but I can see he is almost as worried as I am.

"My power is more than enough" I state with confidence I have no idea where I'm getting from.

"Heika, just transporting the two of you there will drain a lot of your marioku! You must think of your health!" Ulrike pleads from behind me, but I'm already holding Murata's hand and I'm ready to jump.

"I can do this" I say and look at Murata. He chuckles and looks at me with that face he makes sometimes, the one that gives me the strength when I'm running out of it.

"I know" he says.

We jump together and we are swallowed by a whirlpool of water.

Next thing I know we are at the lake. There's a full moon and the sky is clear, so me can see enough to move around.

My tears still haven't stopped running.


	8. Chapter 8: Wolfram's POV

Hi guys! Remember the first chapter when I said this story is rated M, mainly because of languaje and a little violence?, well, now you'll see what I meant. Although a lot of you might think I'm exagerating by rating this M just because of that, I think is only fair that you know that kind of thing is comming when you choose to start following a story. It has happen to me that in the middle of a fic that is soppussed to be rated K, Humor/Romance (or alike), suddenly tragedy strikes in a very graphic way and it's definitely not what I was expecting. That aside, there is a chapter ahead in which I could include a little lemon, bacause it goes well with the story, but I'm not sure. What do you think?

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><p><strong>Chapter 8: Wolfram's POV<strong>

I have been in this cell for I think one day and one night. There are no windows and the door doesn't lead to the exterior, so I have no way of knowing for sure.

All this woman has done to me so far is torture, she doesn't ask questions, she isn't looking for a ransom, all she wants to do is see me suffer.

This place is covered with some sort of magic I had never felt before. I cannot move, and my thought are tormented by visions of my deepest fears. I can't sleep, I can't think straight.

I look at my body and I see no marks of violence, but every part of me hurts like I've been pierced by a hundred swords. This magic is worse than evil, and this woman seems to be the only one able to control it.

"Having fun?" I hear her voice and look up, there she is, in the same dress she was when I first saw her. Her underlings call her Mirage, but I don't think that is her real name.

"Who are you? Why are you doing this to me?" Speaking is excruciating, but I force myself to do it.

"I have to hand it to you. Your soul is incredibly strong if you have been able to survive all this time, and you can even speak. Congratulations young prince" she says in a sarcastic tone and tosses some rancid bread at me.

All my pride is telling me not to let this women see me eating this shit, but I can't afford to listen to it, I have to survive, I have to come back, to my family, and to Yuuri.

"So Yuuri uh?" I'm not sure if she is reading mi thoughts or if I actually let his name slip through my lips. "Is he the man you see leaving you in your dreams?" she asks with such cruelty it actually made me gasp.

"I understand, so he is the reason you have made it this far" she turns her head to the left like she hear something. I heard nothing myself, but I can't trust my senses at this moment, my ears have been ringing all the time I've been here and I think they are already bleeding.

"I'll ask one more time... Who are you?" I yelled, it took all of my strength, but I did it, not letting my eyes fall from hers. She laughs and kneels to look at me so our eyes are at the same height.

"I like the fire in your eyes" she says and smiles wickedly. "I'll tell you third son, the story of our people" I gulp down, her tone holds more hatred that I ever heard before. Is a force as powerful as Soushu.

"My name in Mirage. My tribe had been living calmly in the forest of this lands, the land of your father for thousands of years. We control a magic different from the ones you know. A magic that can destroy a man from the inside, burn away his soul and shatter his body. The magic you have been fighting against this entire time" She kicks me as if to prove the poor state in which her magic has left me.

"We lived peacefully under the leadership of my father untill only fifty year ago, when **your mother, **the oh so mighty Maou ordered the execution of our people!" She glares at me, no wander she hates me this much, but that order must have came from Stoffel, not my mother!

"Our power were too great, so we were a menace to this, your beloved country. My family, my friends, everyone was killed in their sleep, not even giving them a chance to fight! Only a handful of us remains and most don't even have enough power to control a single man. I survived hiding under the floor of my house, I saw my father, mother and brothers being killed, they sacrificed themselves to make sure I'd survive. I have been living in the woods for a long time now, waiting for the moment to take my revenge" She takes my chin with one hand, her nails are sharp and they cut my skin. "So you can imagine my glee when I heard the little pampered prince, third son of the previous Maou and fiancé of the present Maou was here, taking care of this human riot" She throws my face to the ground. With all the strenght I have left I sit back up.

"Yuuri... he... he is different Mirage... he's kind... he..." I start coughing, I can taste blood in my mouth.

"You love him dearly I see. But for what I've heard the king does not return your feelings" That was a low blow. Images of Yuuri rejecting me, leaving me, flash through my mind. I shake my head

"Those images, they are not real! You can't control me!" I yell at her, recovering a little. I know he may not love me the way I do... But things are different now, he sees me now, I'm sure, I felt it and no illusion will make me believe otherwise. Even if he never loves me as much as I love him, I will be with him forever, because our souls are bound by fate... I'm sure...

"I think you are just kidding yourself there young Prince" she laughs with a high pitch tone that makes my ears hurt. "Well fine, if you are so sure about it I'll make you a deal" She stands up again and a small divination sphere appears in front of her, very similar to the one Ulrike has in the shrine.

"I'll trap your soul inside of your body and a new You will be born. One without your memories or feelings. The curse will only disappear if your beloved Maou says he chooses you, that he loves you, the you that's trapped. Only then you will be able to come back" her hands move in circles and purple smoke starts to come out of the sphere forming a snake. "But beware, you will have to endure this time of torture within you, if you choose to give up, then your soul will die and your body as well"

"Torture..?" I ask in a whisper

"Oh but of course, you did not think it would be that simple did you? You will suffer like an earthbound soul, someone who cannot be heard, someone who can only watch but never speak. If I'm lucky enough, you'll see the love of your life cheating on you, with yourself" she grins and points at me.

The smoke snake is coming inside me, through my mouth, ears, eyes. I've never felt a pain like this before, like my head is about to explode from within, like my insides are on fire. I hear some sounds, like steps and shouts. Maybe I'm hallucinating, but I could swear I hear Yuuri screaming my name on the other side of the door.

"It seems that your prince charming has come to save you" I hear Mirage say and she disappears, or she turns into smoke to be more precise.

The pain is too strong and I can feel my conscience slipping, if I could only see Yuuri once more before I...

Then everything was black.

~ O ~

_I had a dream that night, a nightmare. I would yell Yuuri's name but no sound would come out. When I looked up Yuuri was leaving with someone by his hand, that someone was me. But another me. Those eyes weren't mine._

~ O ~


	9. Chapter 9: Yuuri's POV

Hi guys! I just finished baking some Christmas cookies and remembered I'm nowhere near finish in posting this story!

So here's another chapter

Remember to R&R!

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><p><strong>Chapter 9: Yuuri's POV<strong>

We are running in the direction I think Wolfram is. Actually I have no idea of where he is, or where we are for that matter, I have never been to this side of the Bielefeld lands. But something tells me I'm going in the right way. Is exactly like my dream, I run because someone is calling me, I run because **he** is calling me, even though I cannot hear him, I know he's calling.

"Shibuya, I see a fire right in front of us" Murata says from behind me, I look up and see a little line of smoke coming from between some trees up ahead, probably a small bonfire. He must be there!

"Okay Murata, are you with me on this? I'm gonna need your help" I say without stopping.

"Of course!" he yells back, I'm not looking at him, but I know exactly what face he's making. That makes me feel a little more confident.

When we get to the place, what we see makes the both of us gasp. It's Wolfram's troops camp. All the man are on the ground, most of them seem only unconscious, hypnotised maybe?, but they look malnourished, dirty, half way to death.

Those who weren't so lucky are dead on the floor. The smell coming from the bodies is horrible, both Murata and I cover our mouths and noses with one hand. They have been here at least two days, exposed to the heat. Their bodies were massacred and big stains of dried blood fill the ground.

My heart stops. I begin running like a mad man. I look at every soldier, I lift the bodies that are pilled up, not caring about the smell or the filth, while my tears run out of control.

I can feel Murata's sad gaze on my back but I don't stop until I look at every body on the ground. "He's not here!" I scream between joy and concern. At least he's not dead. I can feel Murata breathing again. Apparently I was holding my breath too.

He puts a hand in my shoulder and squeezes it. "We have to keep looking" he says, I nod in agreement. However, before we can even move I feel a strange energy approaching us. "What is that?" I ask Murata who has gone into Sage mode.

"I have no idea" that can't be good.

I can see some purple looking smoke coming in our direction from everywhere. Before I can realize, we are surrounded. The smoke starts to take a human-like shape and in about thirty seconds we see ourselves in the middle of a circle of purple aren't exactly purple, their ninja style clothing is.

But this is no time to ponder around their choices in fashion. I take a deep breath and call onto the Maou's powers. I can feel Murata, with his hand still in my shoulder, letting me borrow his power. A light blue aura surrounds me and a pure white one surrounds him.

I lift myself in the sky while Murata stays on the ground. I call upon my water dragons and launch my first attack, but when they reach the purple ninjas, they become smoke again. I look down and see a couple of them are going after Murata, who's still concentrating his powers on me. I cover him up with a barrier and look up again.

"_Thank you" _ I hear him say inside of my head. "_Yeah, you're welcome" _I still haven't gotten completely used to this mind talking thing, but whatever.

"_What are we going to do? I can't hit them if they turn into smoke and I haven't learned to do much more by myself without letting the Maou take over" _I say to him while trying over and over to hit the purple ninjas.

"_Letting the Maou's soul take over is dangerous, we never know what he may do. We'll have to figure out another way" _ he answers still inside my head.

I'm about to try once more when a sharp pain pierces my heart. The tears start flowing again and I can hear that song I heard humming in my dream getting further and further away. Wolfram's voice is calling, and it gets weaker and weaker. I fall to my knees, even when I'm floating. I cover my ears with my hand.

"**WOLFRAM!**"

I yell so loudly I can hear groups of birds flying off. I need you, where are you? where are you calling me from?

"Shibuya..." I can hear Murata saying that on the ground, he sounds so hurt. I'm sorry Murata, I didn't mean to put you through this as well.

Suddenly all the purple ninjas become smoke again and begin dispersing amongst the trees. I come back down, next to Murata and almost fall. I have very little energy left, but I need to find him.

"Shibuya, there!" Murata is pointing in some random direction, I follow his finger with my eyes and notice it, a little further away there is some sort of hole on the ground and I think I can see a door in it. We run to the spot and find this hole has stairs and leads to a small iron door that is left unlocked.

We open it and start running through some dark halls. There is not a single person in sight or a single candle lit, but I can feel something in here, something calling me in a certain direction.

We reach a door, and as soon as I touch the door knob the calling stops. I can see Wolfram's figure leaving, walking away, saying goodbye. I froze.

"What's wrong?" Murata asks, but I don't have the strength to answer, I open the door and praying to every god I have heard of that he's still alive.

It takes me a few seconds to adjust to the light. There is only one small candle lit on a table near the left wall. On the floor there are pieces of rotten food, faeces, and dead rats, apparently living ones as well.

I look at the furthest wall and there he is. His small body lying lifeless on the ground, just like in my dream. His clothes are ragged and dirty, his golden locks are covered in blood, and so is the rest of his angelical face.

Murata is looking away. I would do the same myself, but I have to make sure.

I walk to him and kneel beside him. I take his body in my arms and look at his pale skin, his eyes are closed, he looks so beautiful, like a fallen angel. I check his pulse, and nothing. I lean over to his face to feel his breathing, but nothing.

"Wolf... please don't do this to me... Please wake up..." I say sobbing now.

I concentrate my marioku once more and put my hand in his chest, where his heart is. I almost have no energy left, but maybe, just maybe, if this can work, then I'll just do it. I know Murata wants to stop me, I could kill myself doing this, I know, but I don't care.

_What am I supposed to do without him?_

Suddenly I feel Murata's energy running through my body again. I look at him and he smiles at me. He has his right palm open in my direction.

"_Thank you..."_

I concentrate all the energy on Wolfram's body and when I'm about to give up I see something. His cheeks are regaining their color. His chest jumps. Oh dear God he's breathing.

I hug him and back away to see his face.

"Wolf, Wolf, wake up, can you hear me?" I'm still crying, call me a wimp all you want Wolf, but open your eyes.

Slowly, those long blond eyelashes start to move, and soon the emerald lakes I love so much are looking at me. I hug him again and I can hear Murata letting out a big sigh of relief. Wolfram finally opens up his mouth to speak, but what he says, takes the life out of me...

"Who are you?"


	10. Chapter 10: Ken's POV

Hi guys! Introducing a new POV here. Hope you enjoy it as a Christmas eve present from me ^^

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><p>Chapter 10: Ken's POV<p>

"_Who are you" _

I could swear I saw Shibuya's life being drained out of his body when he heard those words. But then he smiled, maybe he was satisfied with just having Wolfram alive. It's been a week since then and we are arriving to Blood Pledge Castle right now. Wolfram is sound asleep in Shibuya's lap. He has no idea who he is, or any of us of course, but he seems fond of Shibuya, you could say is like when an animal sees you first after it's born, he thinks you're it's mama, and right now, Wolfram is acting as submissive as a little lamb.

A little dawn that day Lord von Bielefel arrived along with his troops, apparently one of Wolfram's underlings was across the border taking care of the human bodies that were left on mazoku land when they were attacked, when he came back and saw what had happened, he rushed to the Bielefeld castle to get help. Luckily Shibuya can't control his temper and we got there first, Wolfram probably wouldn't have made it if we didn't.

We spent two days on the Bielefeld castle where all of Wolfram's physical wounds were treated, but his memory did not came back. Shibuya insisted on bringing Wolfram along with us to Blood Pledge, to which Lord von Bielefeld only agreed because the country's best healers are there.

Shibuya should have rested a bit too, he used almost all of his marioku trying to save Wolfram, but he refused any treatment and hasn't left Wolfram's side since. He's much to stubborn, but I think I understand.

"Murata, what are we going to do?" he asks and brings me back to earth, we are only five minutes away from the castle. Everyone there has already been informed of Wolfram's state, so that shouldn't be a problem.

"The healers all agreed his problem was not physical, there is nothing they can do to bring his memory back" I say, trying to summen up the facts.

"I know that, but if not physical, then what is it?"

"They didn't felt any kind of curse on his body, so that only leaves one answer" I pause for dramatical effects. "It's probably an emotional scar" I say smiling, I smile because it's better than loosing his memory because of brain damage, don't you agree? But Shibuya doesn't seem to find it funny.

"But, why?" he ask puzzled and looks at his sleeping fiancé.

"Who knows? As far as we know he was tortured for days, maybe he shut himself up to survive, maybe is some kind of PTSD" I voice the thoughts that have been on my mind from the beginning, although something doesn't quite add up on that theory, at least for my taste, is all we can guess with what we have.

"Like soldiers after war? Yeah... maybe" he answers and looks through the carriage window.

"What I think he needs is a psychiatrist" I say lifting my index finger to make my point.

"A shrink? Were in Shin Makoku are we going to get a shrink?" he looks at me worriedly.

"I never said we would get one _here_" he smiles, I think now he gets my point.

~ O ~

Once we get there Wolfram is left sleeping in the Maou's bedroom and we communicate our plan to Shibuya's retainers. No one seem so thrilled about the idea of Wolfram traveling through dimensions in his current state, but being that we have no other choice, by the end, they all agree. I suggest we should wait a couple of days before going, because of how much marioku Shibuya has been using, but he says he feels as good as new. We all know that's a lie, but once he has made up his mind, there's no turning back.

After dinner and introducing Wolfram to his relatives, as strange as it sounds, we head out to the garden where there's a fountain that we'll be using for the _trip._

"Okay Wolf, remember what I told you? Just hold your breath and don't let go of my hand untill we're there" Shibuya says like he's talking to a preeschooler.

"Mmm.. okay" Wolfram smiles and respons like he was a preeschooler.

The whole scene is kinda cute actually, they are already holding hands. Wolfram is looking at Yuuri with almost admiration in his eyes, that shine with an innocence never before seen in the fierce fire demon, at least not by me.

"Ready?" I ask Shibuya and hold his other hand. He nods and looks back one last time as a goodbye gesture. Wolfram actually turns around and waves at them with a big smile on his face.

He's being overly cute or is it just me?

We jump inside the fountain and the water takes us to the Shibuya household bathtub, as always full to be ready for our arrival.


	11. Chapter 11: Yuuri's POV

Merry Christmas everyone!

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><p>Chapter 11: Yuuri's POV<p>

We arrive and I look at my right side to make sure I'm still holding Wolfram's hand. Thank God, he's there, and he's looking at everything in the bathroom like it was one of the seven world's wonders. Ever since he lost his memory he's been acting like this, is really cute actually. I think I have been given the rare opportunity to know how he was before the war, before he knew Conrad was half human, when he was young and innocent.

Before I have time to warn him about my mother, the devil comes through the door.

"Yuu-chan, Ken-chan, Wolf-chan! you're back!" she squeals, I can see she's on her way to hug Wolfram, but Murata rapidly stands up and gets in her way.

"Mama-san! I need to talk to you for a bit" he says and takes her by the arm, probably to the kitchen, not mindind the fact that he's soaking wet. Thanks Murata, I'll remember your sacrifice. There is one change of clothes here ready for me. Because mom is always expecting me.

Wolfram is looking at me with puzzled eyes. "Who is she?" he asks cutely.

"She's my mom, you call her mama-san because she's going to be your mother in law" I answer and offer him a hand to get out of the tub.

"I see, she seems nice"

A year ago I would have used this opportunity to get read of the Fiancé label, but for some reason, when he asked me who I was, my automatic answer was Your fiancé. I almost fell to the ground laughing when he replied Really? but you are a guy right? Luckily, he came to terms with his liking of men much faster than I did.

Did I really just thought that?

Whatever, we need to go see what Murata is doing. We dry off and I give the change of chothes to Wolfram. I put a towel over his hair and mess with it a little. Before, he would have scoffed and said he could do it himself, but now he looks at me with thankful eyes and a smile. Now that I think about it, Wolfram wouldn't have left me give the dry clothes to him and stay wet myself, he would have said something along the lines of_ The king can't aford to catch a cold_; is really nice to be able to be the one taking care of him now. I smile back and we go out of the bathroom.

Murata is already into his dry clothes too. He keeps a couple of shirts and pants here at all time, being that we always come back through my tub. Apparently is early morning here and my mom was making breakfast, she offers us some, but we decline, we actually just had dinner.

"Do you want to take a nap Wolf?, it was night when we left" I ask, but he sakes his head as a negative.

"I think you should sleep a little though" he says with concerned eyes. To be honest I don't remember when was the last time I slept, but my body has simply been unable to sleep, maybe because I've been too tense with this whole thing.

"He's right Shibuya, you have barely slept in a week now" Murata adds from behind me.

"That's not healthy Yuu-chan! you have bags under your eyes!" Mom scolds me, when I turn around I see the three of them, arms crossed, completely teaming up against me. I sigh.

"It's just... I really haven't been able to sleep..." I mutter, apparently only Murata heard me.

"Nee(1) Shibuya, do you really wanna turn eighteen looking like that?" Murata says.

Wait! That's right with all the confusion I totally forgot about my birthday! What date is it again?

"July 28th" Mom and Murata answer in one voice, I guess I was thinking out loud.

"So tomorrow is my birthday?" they nod. I'm so lost in space right now. I give up. "Okay I'll take a nap in my bedroom then, wake me for lunch?"

"Sure, sweetie" Mom answers and I head to my bedroom, I give a look to Wolfram first to check if he's okay with being here alone. He smiles, I guess that's a yes.

While I go up the stairs I can hear a conversation coming from the kitchen.

"So tomorrow Yuuri turns eighteen?" Wolfram asks, I guess they nodded because I hear no answer.

"Mmm... any of you know how old I am?"

I gulp. Silence again, I doubt it was because they nodded again.

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><p>(1) Normally, when I want my characters to say "nee" I change it to "hey" "say" or some other equivalent, but there I just couldn't thought of any, so I left it like that.<p> 


	12. Chapter 12: Ken's POV

I want to thank all of you who read this story!

Although I would like the hit count and the review count would balance out a little better... don't pay attention to my ramblings. But I do care about your opinions and critics, so if you have one, can't wait to hear it, just no flames please :)

Special thanks to blackirishawk, priscel, Elle von Werner, rokudaime09 and Ciel Phantomhive for your kind reviews :D

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><p><strong>Chapter 12: Ken's POV<strong>

"Mmm... any of you know how old I am?"

I cannot believe he just asked that... what are we supposed to answer? He tilts his head and looks at us with puzzled eyes. I guess we've been silent for too long now, we can't just say we don't know. I look at mama-san for help, but I think she's at the same crossroad I am.

"How old are you?" he looks at me. Crap.

"Well, I'm already eighteen. My birthday was last month" I answer and look at mama-san again, I think she's internally asking the gods Wolfram doesn't ask her age. Women have issues with that.

"Well... I think I look about the same age as you do" I nod, that _is _true. "But I thought we'd be older, if Yuuri and I are supposed to get married soon" I gulp down. Shibuya should be the one to explain this to him! It's his pet after all. Oh yeah, I decided to think of this Wolfram as a pet, since he acts so much like a stray puppy.

"Well, you see... about that..." I feel as I was being asked to explain where babies come from to a seven years old. Suddenly I remember why we're here and come up with the perfect excuse to bail.

"Oh yeah! That's right I forgot. Mama-san, I have to go get the thing I told you before" I say dodging Wolfram's question. We have a silent conversation with our eyes that goes something like this:

_Oh that thing_

_Yeah, THAT thing_

I didn't say it was a brilliant conversation.

Truth is we really have no time to wait, time isn't forgiving in this world. So I say my goodbyes and head to my house, before leaving I make sure mama-san saves me a portion of curry for lunch, of course.

I've been thinking about how to get a shrink to come with us to Shin Makoku and the possibilities are really scarce. Even if I can actually find a mazoku with the degree, the odds of him or her being on japan at the moments are almost zero. So I have a plan B. Since keeping Wolfram here enough time for a treatment is not an option either, I'm going for the second best choice we have.

I happen to know a certain otaku doctor who's currently re-stacking on his manga collection just a few minutes away by car. I'll need to contact Bob first though. Even being the Daikenja I can't just steel away people's workers, well I could... but that's not the point.

As I walk the approximately ten blocks that separate my house from Shibuya's I let myself ponder over this matter a little deeper. Being honest, I really would like to believe things are as simple as they seem, but something tells me otherwise. Ever since I saw Wolfram's eyes open in that cell I noticed. His soul... something is not right about it. However, if someone knows how a soul can get wounded and change because of pain, that person would be me.

I'm just really hoping for the best, having a four thousand year old soul doesn't make me error-proof, I just might be wrong. Not even Shinou has an opinion on the matter. Although that worries me more than it sooths me.

My job, the choice I made, the reason I'm here now, the purpose of my soul; is to follow the sun. I just want to give Shibuya the peace of mind of knowing he did all he could. Personally, as much as I don't like it, I don't believe this is going to bring _his_Wolfram back.

When I open the door to my house I remember today is a week day and my sister might probably be at school right now, that's kind of sad, I wanted to see her. On the bright side, I save myself the trouble of running into my parents.

The phone rings while I'm still taking off my shoes, it startles me a bit, I've gotten used to Shin Makoku's lack of technological devices.

"Hello, Murata's residence" Even I didn't expected to hear the voice that answered me at other side of the line.

"Good morning Murata-kun, this is Bob"

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><p>Really short chapter, I know, next one will be longer, promise!<p> 


	13. Chapter 13: W's POV

Hi guys, this is technically a new POV, because this Wolfram is not the actual Wolfram, if you have been paying attention you will know what I mean. So to avoid confusion, this Wolfram will be refered to (by me) as "W"

Don't forget to R & R!

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><p><strong>Chapter 13: W's POV<strong>

I am sitting in front of this thing that's called a TV, it seems familiar somehow, but I can's really tell if I've seen one before or not. Everything has been kind of weird since I woke up in Yuuri's arms, about a week ago.

I don't know anything about him, or myself, or anything really, but I like him. He has something about him that makes me trust him. He's really cute too. Mama-san is making lunch in the kitchen and I'm waiting and watching this thing. It's pretty interesting, like a picture book that moves and sounds, or something like that. Yuuri is sleeping now and the other guy... what was his name? Murata. He should be about to get back. Right after we changed clothes he said he had to do something, but that he would be back to have lunch with us. Something about not wanting to miss Mama-san's curry.

I wonder what curry is? A good smell is coming out of the kitchen so I guess we will be fine.

Did I just say we? That's odd... I do that a lot, now that I think about it, maybe I'm some sort of eccentric person who refers to himself in a plural manner? I really don't think anyone would do that though...

I hear a weird noise coming from... apparently the walls. Mama-san dries her hands and heads to the door to open it.

"Ken-chan you're just in time! And you brought Dr. Rodriguez with you!" I hear her scream from the doorway, I wonder who this Dr. Rodriguez is and if I'm supposed to already know him. I probably do.

"Hello there, Wolfram" A man with dark brown skin, eyes and hair greets me. Well, apparently he does know me.

"Yo!" Murata waves at me too, so I say hello to both of them as politely as I can. I have no idea of why, but Murata's presence makes me feel like I should be polite to him. Apparently he is very a important person in my country, but that's not it. When I look at him I see a person who knows something I don't. I know that makes very little sense, since I lost my memory and all, but he is the only one that gives me that impression, out of everybody I have met so far, and _all of them_ know more about me than I do.

"Wolf, dear, would you go wake up Yuuri for me please, his bedroom is on the second floor, the second one to the left" Mama-san asks me and I get up from my seat to go fetch him. I go up the stairs and get a very familiar sensation when I stand outside of what should be Yuuri's bedroom door.

I open it up and see Yuuri lying on his bed, wearing a different set of clothing that the one he had when we arrived. I actually hadn't gotten to see him wearing anything else since we meet. I mean, since this me met him. He always wears black, both for top and bottom, but now he's wearing something that looks much lighter. He has a white shirt with short sleeves and light brown shorts. The shirt is all wrinkled and is showing his stomach and lower back.

He's really muscular, I hadn't noticed so far. His back looks really beautiful, tanned skin, perfect size muscles... I had a bit of a surprise when he told me we were engaged, with both of us being men an all, not that I don't know it happens, I least I have the feeling that it does, but I couldn't figure out why _I _would like another guy... My question has just been answered.

His hair is just beautiful, I can't stop looking at it. It's of a black that somehow manages to shine even when it's predestined to be a dark color. His eyes are the same... the have something in them that I cant describe... they are... mesmerizing maybe? When I saw then, the first thing I saw that I can remember, I felt like I was getting lost inside of them.

I don't know if the me from before loved this man, and for me, he is just a person I just met. But if I were to fall in love with someone right now, that someone would definitely be him.

I finally gather the strength to wake him up, so I approach the bed and touch his shoulder. "Yuuri. Yuuri is time for lunch" He just makes some annoyance noises and turns around, he's facing me now. I sit on the bed and try again. But suddenly he grabs my arm and before I know it, I'm lying down next to him.

"Five more minutes" he mutters in his sleep.

I'm about to try and call his name when his arm goes around my waist. He's hugging me like a plush toy. I can feel the blood rushing to my head and before I notice my face is completely red.

"Yuuri... I..."

"Wolf..." he mutters in his sleep again and puts his forehead against my back, I can feel the warmth of his body touching me. A very strange feeling is growing inside of me.

There's a warmth in my heart, I feel joy and something so familiar, so calming; and at the same time there's a little pain in my chest. Something telling me this hug isn't meant to be for me.

But what if is not meant to be for the me now! **I **am here now, so **I** am getting this hug. Who cares about the old me.

When those thoughts go through my head I feel the pain going away. But I also feel like a little something just died inside of me, no... not died... maybe it just broke... because somehow it's still there.

I get out of the embrace, taking care not to wake Yuuri up, and then I try again. "Yuuri, come on, lunch is ready" I say in a soft tone and his eyes start to open slowly.

"Mmhh... Wolf?" he asks and rubs his left eye. Then, out of nowhere, he stops and fully wakes up.

"It doesn't hurt anymore..." he mutters to himself with a conflicted face.

"What doesn't?" I ask him, leaning down to see him better. He chuckles and puts a hand in my shoulder.

"It's nothing really, just something you did before going to the Bielefeld lands. It may sound stupid, but the pain kept me company while you were gone. It made me feel you were there. Besides, you broke your end of the deal, you were supposed to treat me " he says smiling and with his eyes lost somewhere, or actually nowhere.

"I don't think I understand" I say and he chuckles again.

"It doesn't matter. Let's go have lunch" He takes my hand and leads me out of the room.

I think my heart just skipped a beat right there, when he smiled and took my hand.

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><p>To all of you who also post stories on this site, a little question: Has it happen to you that when you submit a document some words get changed and the format gets all mixed up?<p> 


	14. Chapter 14: Yuuri's POV

**Chapter 14: Yuuri's POV**

We get to the kitchen and to my surprise Murata already got Dr. Rodriguez in here. He really doesn't waste time does he? Sometimes he annoys the living hell out of me, but I'd rather have no one else as my sage. Did I just sound a little like Shinou back there? If he hears me say something like that I wonder if he'd get all possessive over Murata.

"Hi Murata, hello Dr. Rodriguez. Hope he didn't drag you all the way up here" I say in a joking tone and for some reason Wolf laughs a little.

"Hello Shibuya-kun, don't worry, the order came from above me" he answers also in a joking manner. I wonder what he means by that... Murata looks somehow concerned, which is really, really bad. He gives me a look that means he needs to talk to me, but we can't just leave the room. Besides mom is about to serve the food.

"Yuu-chan, Ken-chan, why don't you go to the little store in the corner and buy some soda, you know Dr. Rodriguez isn't from around here so it's not good for his health to drink tap water. Wolf-chan dear, you can help me set the table if you want" she gives Wolf a warm smile and then she and Murata exchange a knowing glance, I don't know what they talked about when we were in the bathroom, so I don't know exactly how much he knows. Anyway, this is perfect, so I don't question myself further.

She gives us some money and we head out to the store. Is really close by so we don't have much time to talk. Murata apparently thinks the same thing and the moment the door is closed he starts to talk.

"Shibuya, something odd is going on here. I haven't seen or felt Shinou since we left to rescue Wolfram, I assume you haven't either" I nod, I have been wondering about that too. Is not normal for him to miss out on this kind of thing.

"Well you see, the moment I arrived home the phone rang, it was Bob." I gasp, he had no way of knowing what had happen, did he? "He said Shinou had contacted him somehow, you know how he is so he gave me no details, but he said _everything was being taken care of_ and just hanged up. As soon as I put down the phone, Dr. Rodriguez was at my door"

"What? So Shinou thought the shrink thing ahead of us? But Dr. Rodrigues is a pediatrist" I say trying to voice all my questions at once, although I don't think I'm even finished thinking.

"I don't know about that idiot, but Dr. Rodriguez was also my first choice" I think by idiot he means Shinou. Those two have a rather complicated relationship, I think because they are two rather complicated people. I'm about to ask why Dr. Rodriguez and not a shrink but Murata reads my mind and answers without being asked, as usual.

"I was thinking that we can't keep Wolfram here long enough for him to get a treatment, and even if we could, the Maou definitely can't stay away from Shin Makoku for that long, and I know you won't let him here alone" He looks at me with both an accusation and a mock written in his face. I look away. "So we need someone we can take back with us. The only person available is Dr. Rodrigues, since we can't just go to a therapist's consult and kidnap the psychiatrist" he has a point there.

"But isn't there any mazoku shrinks in this world?" I ask as we enter the store, I think and old lady just heard what I said and she's looking at us like we were completely crazy.

"Yes, there are. But in this world most mazoku live normal lives as humans and have no relation to Bob or other mazoku. They don't know or don't want to know anything about the other world. However, there are still a few who serve Earth's Maou directly, like your father or the Doctor. Besides, he might be a pediatrist, but he has good listening skills"

Murata smiles at me and I suddenly remember what he told me when he introduced me to the doctor, Surely if he was able to help Murata accept himself as the Daikenja, he'll be able to do something for Wolf.

We pay for the soda and leave, everyone who heard our little conversation dodges us on the way out. We should really start talking in Mazoku tongue when we discuss this kind of thing. But I have a really hard time distinguishing the two. I am capable of speaking in both languages, I just don't realize when I'm doing it at times. It's because of the way I started to speak this alnguage, but as all other things, I'm working on it.

We are about to get home when Murata stops on his track, I look back and found him staring at his shoes, without looking up, he says...

"Say Shibuya... what would you do if he never comes back?"

I'm frozen in the spot hearing those words. There's something about the way he said it that makes me shake. It makes me hurt.

"What do you mean? He **is** here, that's more than enough" I say smiling and he finally looks up. He smiles back, but for some reason I'm not completely buying it.

"Yeah... you're right"

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><p>R&amp;R guys! :D<p> 


	15. Chapter 15: W's POV

R & R ^^ !

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><p>Chapter 15: W's POV<p>

We have just been here for about half a day and we are already leaving. Apparently, there is some weird time thing that makes time go much faster on the other world. Or is this the other world? I'm confused. But well, the thing is we have to go now.

Lunch here was very different from dinner in the castle, Mama-san is a very nice person, and she lights up the room with her smile. Even if she speaks really, really fast and seems to be a little bossy, everyone has a good time around her. For some reason I think all mothers must be like that. Murata and her seem to get along pretty well, and Dr. Rodriguez too. Everyone laughed a lot and Yuuri seemed happy here, but he was the one who said we should be going back as soon as possible. I don't really get it, this is his family, so why would he want to leave? He's throwing some weird looking stuff in a bag at a very fast pace, I think he must really want to go as soon as possible.

"Is something bothering you, Wolf?" He turns around and asks, I ponder around the question, I don't really know exactly what's bothering me, but I'll just tell him what I'm thinking.

"I don't know. I guess I don't understand why you want to come back. Your family is here, and you didn't even get to see your brother and father" he looks at me and tilts his head, like he doesn't understand the question, but then he smiles and pats my head a little. I feel the need to move away from him, but I fight it, I like it when he touches me.

"Yes, part of my family is here in this world, but your brothers, your mother and everyone else back in Shin Makoku are also a part of my family. You too Wolf, we have our own little family back there" he messes with my hair a little and turns around to continue his task.

I blush and look away. Our own little family uh? That sounds nice.

He finishes what he's doing, puts the bag over his shoulder and tells me to wait for him there while he goes talk something out with his mother. I nod and he runs out the door.

Looking at the room more carefully I notice some pictures on the wall. They look much clearer than the ones on the castle, you can hardly see any brush strokes on them. There's one with a guy dressed in white holding some weird wood stick and making a pose like he's about to hit something. I don't know what he's doing but it looks like fun. I'll ask Yuuri about it later.

I look at the bed, the window, the white thing with a screen that looks similar to the TV downstairs and well, pretty much all there is to see in this room. Which really isn't much, to be honest. If Yuuri is a king, I figured he would have much more stuff, treasures or alike. There's a desk and it has a drawer left half open, from when Yuuri was looking for stuff to put in the bag.

I open it whole and see a couple of papers with odd writing on them, some wood yellow sticks and two or three things I have no idea what they are. I take the papers and something falls to the ground. I lean to get it and when I see what it is I freeze.

It's a small picture that looks like it was painted a long time ago. It's framed with what looks like gold paint and in the center there's a portrait of a small child dressed like a prince, about three years old, I think. He's blond and has big green eyes. I might be crazy but I'm pretty sure it's me. Although there's something weird about his eyes. Was I always that angry before loosing my memory? It's like there's fire on those eyes. I think I like it though.

"Come on Wolf, we have to go now. Oh, so you found your picture" Yuuri is standing at the door. I look at him from the corner of my eye, he might get angry because I searched through his things without permission. But he looks like he's the one who has done something bad.

"I'm sorry, Conrad, your brother, gave that to me some time ago. You weren't supposed to know though, we kinda took it without your permission" So it is me! I don't see why it would bother me, I think is really sweet that he has this. I look back at the picture and then to him, he had one hand behind his head and he's smiling in a very... dumb way, but he looks just adorable.

"It's okay. I... I think it sweet that you have it" he chuckles and takes my hand. "Come on, lest go home"


	16. Chapter 16: Yuuri's POV

Your reviews and PMs are telling me most of you are a bit confused about new Wolf, it was really the idea, things will become clearer as chapters go by, however, if you want spoilers PM me ;)

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><p>Chapter 16: Yuuri's POV<p>

I'm on the office that has been assigned to be the doctor's consult, it's on the castle's second floor, near my bedroom. Ever since we got here, at about seven am., Dr. Rodriguez has been interviewing everybody close to Wolfram. Me and Günter were the last ones, because I was kidnapped by Gwendal almost as soon as we got here and was signing documents all day. And Güneter... actually I don't know what Günter was doing but I haven't seen him all day, which is really weird, by now he would have hugged me and squealed Heeeeeika at least twice. Anyway, it's already night and I just heard something **really** disturbing.

"We have to what!"

"Sleep on the same bed, as you usually do" the doctor responds, in a matter of fact way.

"But Wolf... he doesn't... I mean..." the words are choking on my throat, but how can I sleep with him if he doesn't even know who I am. I could never ask him to!

"The best way to help a person recover his memory, is to keep on doing things as usual. Familiar actions, smells, clothes; everything helps" He's right about that, even I know it. It's on every drama or comedy show on TV. Well, in some comedies you can give someone their memory back by hitting them really hard on the head, so I think I can't really trust the TV can I? On this case, however, I guess I have no choice.

"Okay, I guess. But I won't force him if he doesn't want to" I say sitting back down, I never noticed when I got up. Now that I notice, this armchair really looks like the ones on therapists's offices. I wonder where he got it from in this castle.

"That's fine. But remember, he has to wear his usual nightgown too" he adds with a face that tells me he's probably holding back a chuckle.

"Yeah sure..." Well, if things have to be the way they have always been, that nightgown sure has been there all along... "Wait! how do you even know about that?"

"I told him" I turn to the voice at the doorway. I'd like to say I figured, but I still haven't figured out my glasses friend. There he stands, smiling mockingly and covering his eyes with the reflection on his glasses.

"I should've known" I hiss to myself and throw a death glance to Murata.

"Oh come on, you know you miss him on your bed, and I'm sure you miss the freely nightgown too" Okay so now I'm really getting angry... and embarrassed... but angry is more important right now.

"Murata..." I say in a low, threatening voice.

I'm about to jump and punch Murata when I hear Dr. Rodriguez clearing his throat, clearly trying to get our attention. "Okay you two. The important thing now is to get Wolfram-kun better. Next is lord Günter right?" he sure knows how to treat us like pre-school kids.

"Yeah, I'll get him" I say and both the smiling Murata and me, leave the room. I actually have absolutely no idea of where Günter is, so we start walking through random halls that end up leading us to Lady Cheri's garden. From here we can see Wolfram and Conrad talking near the kitchen entrance. They look like they are having a good time. Who knows? this could be an opportunity for those two to straighten their sibling relationship..

"It's getting late Shibuya, don't you have some _homework _to do?" Murata breaks the silence and looks in the direction Wolfram is. I sigh and let myself fall into a bench near the flowers.

"Great, so how am I supposed to say it to him: _Hey Wolf, wanna sleep in my bed?_ I'll be lucky is he just slaps me" I say it and cover my face with my hands, I feel a headache coming my way.

"I think you already did all the slapping Shibuya." he says and sits beside me.

"Very funny, you know what I mean. I feel like a rapist or something, asking him to sleep with me and wearing THAT of all things" I have no clue as to how Wolfram would react to the nightgown. I mean... if he freaked out a little when I told him we, two men, were engaged, he surely won't be too happy to wear woman's clothing.

"You have been sharing a bed for three years now. Besides, I thought you liked THAT thing now" I'm not looking at him, but his voice sounds like he's smirking.

"I do" Shit, I just answered without thinking "I mean... argh! you know what I mean. I'm really hating you right now Murata!" How the hell did I end up with this stupid best friend, I'll never know. He stands up and looks at Wolfram again, he puts both hands behind his back and leans closer to me.

"Be careful not to get lucky tonight, when he recovers his memory he might just kill you" he whispers and takes a few steps away. I'm seriously running out out patience here.

"Stop it Murata!" Last warning, Daikenja and all I can still punch him.

"Oh but I'm having so much fun" he says and starts to back away.

"That's it, you are so dead!"

I jump out of the bench and start running behind him. For him being a complete zero at most sports, he sure runs fast when someone is chasing him.

We run... and run... and run, until my muscles are sore and running seems just really stupid for some reason. It's actually kind of funny and we both start laughing at some random point. We reach a big tree and Murata let's himself fall to the ground on his back, gasping for air. I do the same thing and we stay there for a few seconds, just trying to recover the ability to breathe. I think we attracted the attention of most people near us. I can hear some maids giggling somewhere.

"You're really annoying, you know that?" I say after I finally feel capable of speaking.

"Maybe I am, you have Shinou to blame for that though" he answer and we break into laughing. We laugh for a good five to ten minutes before finding ourselves lacking air again.

"Now seriously Shibuya, I think you're worrying too much. Just talk to him, deep down he's still the same person" he says, he sounds serious, but I can tell he's still laughing a little inside.

"I know... I just don't want to mess this up. Every time I think he looks cute I see normal Wolfram calling me a cheater inside my head" I know, that was a lot to share, but there's something about being like this with a friend that makes you open up.

"It's not like you can cheat on him with himself" he says with a death serious tone.

"I'm pretty sure he would think I can" I respond in the same manner.

There's a moment of silence before he speaks again.

"Yeah... that's Wolfram all right"


	17. Chapter 17: W's POV

I don't know if I had made my point across about how extremely different the two Wolframs are. Well, I hope I have.

I realize this story moves at a really slow pace. If you haven't notice, in about five or six chapter the story has only progressed a day! I know, death slow, but since every chapter is so short I hope it evens out a little. Well, in any case, please bear with it for a while, soon things will speed up and we'll get to see how real Wolf is doing ;)

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><p><strong>Chapter 17: W's POV<strong>

"So that's pretty much all I know about baseball" Conrart smiles at me while saying this. Actually, he smiles a lot. I have to say is kinda creepy. But, at the same time, is soothing, it makes me feel like a little boy being cradled or something.

This baseball thing is really interesting, Conrart said I don't like the game at all, but for what I've heard it seems to be fun, complicated and sometimes silly, but fun nonetheless.

Conrart seems like a good guy, I like him better than my other brother Gwendal. He's scary, I didn't thought it would be possible for someone to frown that much. I just can't look at him for more than twenty seconds without looking away. Although Conrart told me he's much softer than he seems, I hardly think so.

"So, any other questions?" he asks, smiling, again.

"Mmm... not really... well, by any chance do you know if I... if I lo..." I just can't ask this, it would be weird right? But he should know, at least have an opinion, and I have been wanting to ask all day...

"You do" he says cutting my train of thought.

"What?"

"You love Yuuri. You have almost ever since he came here. You two had a bit of a rough start, but have been inseparable ever since"

"Oh... I see" I'm pretty sure I'm blushing now. I don't know why, it's not like I like him now... Yuuri is cute, he's a gentleman and he has this beautiful tanned body... But that doesn't mean anything. I mean yeah, my heart kinda stops when he touches me, or when he's near, or when someone says his name... But I've only known him for less than a month!

Oh... who am I kidding...

Suddenly there's a loud noise of laughing coming from somewhere near, I can't really see clearly in this light, But I can recognise the voices. It's Yuuri and probably Murata. I can see two shadows, one chasing the other around the garden. Now the figures throw themselves into the ground and the laughing stops.

"They get along well" I say, actually I'm just thinking out loud.

"Yes, they do. You could say they were destined to be best friends" Conrart says and puts a hand on my shoulder, like he's telling me this is something I have to get used to. I'm fine with it though, I mean, I'm not over confident or anything, but I like seeing Yuuri happy and he seems happy right now. We can hear them laughing again. I think I just let out a smile.

We just stand there for a moment, the sky is really beautiful tonight. The stars and the moon are shining with a slightly blue light. I'm a bit too tired, I don't know why, but this traveling between worlds thing tires me out more than it does to those two apparently.

"Conrart, where do I sleep?" I ask him, although the phrasing of the question seems odd even to me. He looks at me like he's pondering what he's supposed to answer to that. Then he looks at something behind me and seems suddenly relieved. I look back and Yuuri is there.

"Heika, Wolfram was just asking where he's going to be sleeping" he says with a smile that looks a little different from before, I'd say he's enjoying this moment in a wicked sort of way.

"It's Yuuri Conrad and I'll be taking care of it. Do you know where _it _is?" the tone of that it was really weird, Conrart thinks for a moment and then chuckles a little.

"Oh... you mean _it" _Yuuri nods, I feel really left out right now. "It's on the bed, the maids left it there, Mother asked personally" Yuuri sighs heavily and Conrart gives him a _you can do this_look.

"Come on Wolf, lets go to sleep" he grabs my hand and half-drags me down the corridor. I hear Conrart's voice coming from behind us.

"Good night Heika, Wolfram"

We walk through a lot of corridors until we finally arrive in front of a set of huge twin doors. This castle is really big, Even bigger than the one I saw on the Bielefeld lands. Yuuri takes a deep breath before opening the door.

As soon as we're inside Yuuri runs and grabs something that was on top of the bed and hides it behind his back. I look around the room, it is immense. This probably is Yuuri's room, this is the definition of _big enough for a king_.

"Okay Wolfram I have something to tell you. Dr Rodriguez said you should do things exactly the way you did them before because it would help you recover your memory" he sounds flustered, I just nod, I think if I interrupt him he won't be able to go on.

"Well... I'll just come out and say it: For the last three years you have been sleeping with me on this bed. You yourself climbed there... I mean... not that I mind... But well, is not like I forced you or anything. And also, when you sleep you do it wearing this. You say is comfortable and that you like it... so here!"

I think he actually managed to say that in one breath, maybe he gets it from his mother. I direct my attention to what he's holding in front of him. It's a... pink... somewhat see-through... nightgown?

I sleep wearing that? really? I think Yuuri reads my mind, or maybe I'm just showing what I'm thinking on my face, because he walks to me and says "Yeah... I know it's a little weird, but you really seem to like wearing it, this is actually the one you used the first time you slept on my bed. Why don't you just try it on? Maybe you'll find it really is comfortable"

So wait... I have to sleep with... And I have to wear...

Are you... FREAKING KIDDING ME?


	18. Chapter 18: Yuuri's POV

Well, the dream of having at least one of my ongoing stories finished by the end of the year is oficially dead, as I still have many chapters left to this one and the other two are currently on hiatus D:

But what can you do, right? I won't slow down my updating rythm, so don't worry.

In any case, Happy New Year everyone!

(and thanks for all your great reviews so far ^^)

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><p>Chapter 18: Yuuri's POV<p>

Wolfram didn't spoke a single word ever since we entered the room. After I told him about the nightgown and our... sleeping arrangements, he just stood there for a while with his face changing colors like a rainbow. Then, he took the clothes and looked at me with an unspoken question on his eyes. I told him which door led to the bathroom and he marched there without opening his mouth. He looked like a dead man walking.

Right now I'm pacing around the room, I think I must look pretty much like a father in the delivery's waiting room. It's just that this Wolf is so different from before. The Wolf I know would have never agreed to something he clearly did not wanted to do without a fight. I feel like forcing a stranger into sleeping with me, and at the same time it's even worse because, with or without memory, that beautiful guy in the bathroom is still Wolfram, my Wolfram.

He's taking way to long and I'm stressing a lot right now. I already changed, but I don't know if I should get in bed before him, I don't want to look like this cliché guy in romance movies who waits on the bed for the girl in the freely nightgown to get out of the bathroom.

Before I can finish following my train of thought Wolfram comes out and...

He just takes my breath away.

He's standing at the doorway still, to shy to come closer. The nightgown is just translucent enough to let me see his perfect silhouette, but not enough to reveal it completely. He had one hand behind his back and the other is putting a golden lock behind one of his ears. The candlelight makes his eyes, glassy from embarrassment, glow so perfectly; and his blushing cheeks complete the painting beautifully.

I would blush if I could, but I can't. I'm simply frozen.

"It's... c...comfortable... I think" he finally says braking the spell-like-thing that had me frozen on the spot. He's so freaking cute it's almost criminal.

"You think? Well... I've never worn one but you look... re-really c-cute with it"

"T-thanks..."

I'm stuttering. We're both stuttering. This is ridiculous, we have been sleeping together for years! This isn't normal for him, but it should be normal for me. Why am I so nervous about this? I have this feeling like I'm with someone else right now, but he looks so damn gorgeous, he's Wolfram, I know he is, I'm looking at him. What's wrong with me? My head is spinning and now he is walking towards me. My breathing becomes choppy. Oh dear God, I need to calm down.

"So... do we have specific sides of the bed or something like that?" he asks looking at the ground, I think he just needs me to reassure him about this being his bed before actually getting inside.

"Yes, we do, you sleep on the left side, the one closer to the door. That book on your nightstand is the one you were reading before leaving. You are always reading a different book, I admire you for reading so much, I'm not much of a reader myself" I say recovering my cool and walking to my side of the bed. I left out a few details though, quite a few actually.

For example, the sides of the bed thing is almost never respected because of his tossing and turning, although lately that happens less and less, we still manage to end up sleeping in the middle of the bed, in some really weird position some times... Also, it might not happen anymore, but there was a time when Greta would sleep with us, we haven't told him about her yet, to keep the surprises at a reasonable level. Besides, she's not even at the castle now, she's with Anissina in Cavalcade for some women convention, I'm afraid this will be a heavy blow for her too, she's supposed to come back tomorrow on the first ship of the morning, I have to remember intercepting her and Anissina before Wolfram sees them.

He walks to the nightstand and grabs the book, reading the cover and flipping through the pages. I have no idea of what the book is about, I looked at it when Wolf was gone, but I forgot somewhere along the way in this rather horrendous week. Looking at him sitting on the bed with the book still in his hands makes a very vivid memory come back to me.

For some reason or another I'm always coming to bed late. There's always something when you are trying to run a kingdom. Is either paperwork, this or that dignitary, a problem in X, Y and Z lands, a bridge being destroyed, a village being destroyed, you name it. Even though we are currently not at war with any of our enemy countries, it doesn't help your urbanisation plans when magical and very destructive creatures can still appear at any moment.

However, every night for the past year whenever I come back to the room, tired, sulky, angry or whatever... He's always there, awake, with a random book, waiting for me. Depending on how late it is and how my mood is, that he gets really well now that I think about it, he asks me how my day was and we talk for as long as the conversation takes us, he hears me whine about Gwendal, or my latest ideas for the kingdom, maybe some present I saw for Greta on a trip to town, anything. Sometimes he doesn't even speak to me. He smiles, waits until I change into my pajamas, pulls the covers on my side of the bed and waits until I'm lying down to put out the candles.

Those simple gestures, that simple interaction that anyone could see as boring or dull. They mean the world to me. I can't believe is just now that I realize this. Could it really be that he reads so much because he's waiting for me? I mean, he didn't do it before, he was usually sound sleep once I got here every night, and monopolizing the entire bed if I may add. Also before I was never this busy, now I'm actually doing at least ninety per cent of the job I'm supossed to do, so I have been more tired, and my late hours are getting ridiculous at times.

Could it be that this precious angel waits for me every night so we can talk? So we can see each other? So we can say good night to each other?

Oh Shinou, what do I do now, I feel like crying, I feel like hugging him so tightly... I want to do it and I want him to get flustered and blush, I want him to get scared because of my unusual touch and call me a wimp while he pushes me away... I want my Wolfram in this bed with me...

He looks at me and smiles. "It seems really interesting, although I think I will have to start reading it all over again" he says in a joking tone. I try to fake a smile but I simply can't, this huge weight just fell over me and I don't know what to do with it...

"I'm so sorry Yuuri..." he says with tears starting to form on his green orbs, that Shinou forgives me for thinking something this stupid in a moment like this, but are they a bit lighter?

"Why are you apologising?" I say moving closer to him and grabbing one of his hands between mine. "You have done nothing wrong". I stop myself when I feel the overpowering feeling of wanting to kiss that hand.

"I have tried Yuuri, I've tried to remember. I look at the people here and they all seem nice, but that's it" At this point he starts sobbing and my heart starts to ache. "I... I just don't feel like there's anything there to remember... Only with you there something, something weird that I don't understand, something I can't even recognise at _mine_" he winced like actual physical pain in striking him, I lean closer and pull him in my arms.

"I'm so sorry Yuuri I want to remember I want to be the person you want me to be, because..." then the sobbing didn't let him speak anymore. My heart brakes holding him like this, he seems so helpless, so little. It has only been a week or so and he already feels this much pressure. I can't imagine how it must feel to have all your memories taken away, to feel so lost, so alone...

"It's okay Wolf. It's going to be okay. I don't want you to be anyone exept yourself. It will get better, Dr. Rodriguez will help you and we'll figure this out together" I have to pause to stop my own tears from falling down. "I wont leave you. _If you fall, I'll fall with you"_

When I say that last part Wolfram actually gaps and squirms a little, making the gesture to take his hand up to his chest, but he stops midway.

"Are you okay?" I say worried, moving him in my direction carefully so I an see his face.

"Yeah... I just, couldn't explain it, somehow _it _felt happy" he says, what does he means by it, I have no idea, maybe he just phrased it wrong. I've noticed this Wolfram speaks in a much more colloquial manner.

"Lets go to sleep for now then. It's getting pretty late" Judging by the general silence it's past one am. He nods and we both get under the covers. I'm still hugging him and he presses his nose against my chest like a child.

"Happy birthday Yuuri" he whispers and falls sleep

I feel so happy to hear those words, and at the same time... I fell so guilty, so so terribly guilty and sad. How can I miss so much the person that is already in my arms?

~ O ~

_That night Wolfram did not snore, nor tossed, not turned... nor once called __**his**_ _name for me in his sleep..._

~ O ~

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><p>Wow this is a really long chapter compared to the others, I didn't noticed until I spell checked it. I get carried away writing when I'm doing angst scenes XD<p> 


	19. Chapter 19: Jose's POV

Hi guys, new POV being introduced here, but don't worry it's the last one, I don't want it getting too crowded with POVs. So this story is narrated by: Yuuri, Ken, Jose, Wolfram and "new" Wolfram, a.k.a. W.

It's the first day of the year! Last night I lit a seven colors candle that my mom gave me because it's supposed to bring you good luck all year long, but the problem was that I was on an outdoors party and the freaking thing would almost get extinguished by the wind every five seconds! So, as I stared at the flame to make sure it stayed lit, I found myself wishing I could control fire like our dear Wolf... a new year wish that would most likely NEVER come true XD.

But I hope all of your new year wishes do come true!

Who knows? maybe_ the_ Wolfram von Bielefeld will show up on one of our doorsteps one of this days ;)

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><p>Chapter 19: Jose's POV<p>

Not so long ago, when I said to Yuuri that I'd like to visit this world I never thought it would be under this circumstances. It's clear that I am not the most qualified person to do this job, but I am the only available one. I mean, I did my psychiatry rotation in med school and I loaded my e-reader with almost a hundred on psychiatry and psychology books before coming here. Murata even made it work here using his marioku, which is really cool, but there's obviously no Internet here, there's no electricity for crying out loud!, so I'm limited to what I have here.

Today will be Wolfram-kun's first session. Also, today's is Yuuri's birthday, but he asked not to make a fuss about it today at breakfast. The ball that was going to be held was cancelled a week ago for obvious reasons and the kid just seems in no mood for celebration. When he made the announcement this morning Lord Günter started crying like a little girl! It was really... not fitting to his image.

Which reminds me I never got the opportunity to meet with him last night, apparently no one knew is whereabouts and he looked like he didn't sleep all night at breakfast.

Last night when I got tired of waiting for him I went for a walk, the castle is pretty much a labyrinth, but somehow I managed to get to the main courtyard and found Conrad there, I also saw the little couple heading to their bedroom.

We spent most of the night catching up and neither of us got much sleep, although he looked perfectly fine this morning. Wonder how he does that? When I first meet him he was such a bitter person, but then something changed. It was Yuuri of course. Those souls we were once in charge of. They had become everything that we wished for them and more... It's odd, when you end up feeling like a father to a soul, only a handful of people know this feeling.

Anyway, lunch is only a half an hour away and I need to get this organised before that. The main purpose of meeting with everyone close to Wolfram-kun yesterday was to learn as much about him as possible, and also about the incident that caused his memory loss. Sadly, about the latter, there was almost no usable information and I only asked Murata-kun about it, I didn't wanted to make Shibuya-kun relive the memory. Besides the condition he was found in, there's nothing about the attackers that we can use.

Thank goodness, Murata told me the healers found no sign of rape on his body, however, he was definitely tortured and well, killed. He was dead when they found him. The Maou's powers are even more amazing than I thought, since Yuuri was able to revive him. Although Murata did told me that as doing so he almost killed himself. I won't say it's not romantic, but it is very irresponsible.

Note so self: Suggest Yuuri also has a weekly session with me, that kid looked fine at breakfast, but the moment Wolfram was out of sight he looked like the world had fell over him. I think the real weight of this situation has finally got to him.

Okay so here's what I have: I have everyone's opinion on Wolfram and his daily routine written down. Murata is trying to find out about the attackers, that might give us a clue as to how he was tortured, often remembering that single moment in which people resorted to shutting down internally is enough to bring back most of their memories, although the consequences of remembering that moment... well, we'll just have to deal with that if it happens.

"Excuse me, Dr. Rodriguez, lunch is ready" one of the moe looking maids says, after knocking the door twice I think, I wasn't paying attention.

"I'll be right there"

~ O ~

"So tell me Wolfram-kun, how have you been feeling?" I know, cheesy way to start a therapy session, sue me.

"Fine... I guess. I feel fine, and I'm not so sleepy anymore" he answers looking at his feet. This boy is nothing like the Wolfram von Bielefeld I meet on Earth, and definitely nothing like the person his family described to me.

"That's a good thing, it means your body is recovering it's strength" I say and pause to smile at him. He looks at me with a faint smile, something is bothering him.

Okay... Freud 101, let's try dream analysis.

"Tell me, have you had any weird dreams since you woke up on Shibuya-kun's arms" I think I hit a sore spot there. He winces a little and bites his lower lip.

"Yeah..." I remain silent on purpose, hopefully he's tell me about it himself, without having to ask.

"It's the same dream, every time I fall asleep. It wasn't clear at first, but every night it gets clearer and clearer..." his voice holds confusion and worry. He looks down again.

"It's okay, go on" I say, as reassuringly as I can and motion him to go on.

"All I'm sure about is the sound. The sound of someone humming a song, someone I feel that I know, but I can't distinguish who it is. Everything else is really blurry, there's the humming and something like the hissing of a snake"

I write down everything he says, it's possible his captor hummed this song while torturing him, and snakes might have been used to that purpose too.

"I run, and run, but it's like I can't move, like I'm caged in a really tiny space, I feel a strong feeling that makes me want to brake the walls, but I don't see any" Oh dear God, what was this kid put through.

"But you know, it oddly feels right, like it has to remain like that for my own good. Like the pain wasn't really mine"

There! That's the spot, that's what we need to reach.

"I see, can you remember anything else?"

"Not really, just the sounds and the feelings, no images or what I do in the dream. But they're getting more and more vivid... _specially around Yuuri..."_ That last part was an almost inaudible whisper that I think I wasn't supposed to hear.

"Well then, let's talk about something a bit more pleasant" I change the subject, that's more than enough for today. I don't want to overwhelm him. "Are you doing anything for Shibuya-kun's birthday?"

"Oh... I don't know... I don't think so... I wonder if I had anything for him before_ this_ happened to me..." I see his mind trailing off and decide it's a good moment to end the session, at least the _formal one._

"Why don't we go to your office or your old room and find out?"


	20. Chapter 20: W's POV

Originally this chapter was twice as long and included all that you'll be seeing on next chapter, but in a different way. I'm sorry but I think cutting it in half made this chapter really boring :(

R & R ^^

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><p><strong>Chapter 20: W's POV<strong>

When we come out of the therapy room we actually have to use a map to find my old room, since none of us knows squat about this castle. When we finally manage to get to the right corridor, finding the door is really easy, we follow the instructions given by my eldest brother and find the door with the most burn marks.

Gwendal has already explained majutsu to me, and it sounds really logical, although I feel no power in me I'm supposed to be a great fire user, hence, the burn marks on the door, from when I was little and couldn't control it. Also it seems I have the bad habit of burning things when I'm angry, although I really can't picture myself doing that.

I have been wondering about this present thing all day long, should I give him one? but I have nothing to give, and if I had something before hand, it really won't feel like it's from me. But well, I look around the room and get really surprise noticing the room's decorations... or lack of, really.

It's a really plain room, the walls have a few paintings, but other than that this room doesn't seem like it has been used in years. Now that I think about it, haven't I been sleeping in Yuuri's room for the past three years? Guess that explains it... although this room looks like it has been this way since before that.

After turning every drawer upside down we find nothing of use, I find a little parchment sealed with a fire lion I recognize from the Bielefeld castle, so this is my father's family seal. I put it on my pocket and turn around to face the doctor.

"I think is time for dinner already, why don't we call it quits for now?" he asks and signals me to look through the open door to the hallway. Two maids are standing there with a guilty expression, they must have been told to fetch us for dinner and didn't know whether to interrupt us or not.

"We'll be right there" he says to them and they rush to the kitchen giggling, after excusing themselves.

~ O ~

"Heika I'm so sorry this is all we could do in such a short notice!" mother says when Yuuri and I enter the dinning hall. We literally bumped into each other on the way here and ended up walking together. I was surprised when I stood from the ground and found Yuuri covering his face with both arms saying something about me burning him to crisps. Am I really that scary?

But well, looking at the room I find mother did a very good job, it really has a birthday feeling. It's decorated with a black and green color scheme. Flowers and several adornments throughout the walls and table caught the eye at first, but what's really amazing is the scale ice sculpture of Yuuri holding some sort of weird looking sword on the center of the table.

I was told mother loves to throw parties and that she was disappointed about the cancellation of the ball that was originally going to be held tonight on Yuuri's honor. I was feeling a little guilty about that, but Yuuri then told me he actually hated those formal occasions and that he wanted to spend his birthday with his family.

"Cheri-sama... what's all this?" Yuuri says with a shaking voice while looking at the sculpture.

"Well dear, I wasn't about to throw away all this beautiful decorations we had ready for the ball, so I thought we could have our own little get together here, just the family" she says and runs toward us. Yuuri tries to hide behind me, but mother is too fast and catches up to him trapping him between her ample bosom.

I chuckle a little at the sight, Yuuri is struggling to get out of her hold, but fails miserably. "Happy birthday Heika!" she says while still hugging Yuuri's air away. When his face starts looking blueish Conrart steps up and separates them. Mother pouts buts lets him go.

"Happy birthday Yuuri" he says with a smile and puts a hand on his shoulder. I look around the room and notice all of it's occupants. I might be getting some names wrong but I see: mother, Gwenda, Conrart, a woman with red hair and blue eyes that I don't know, Günter, Murata, the doctor, Gisela, a guy with red hair that I also don't know and winks at me when our eyes meet and... a little brown haired girl who's looking at me with the most sad expression on her little features... my heart shrinks painfully.

Everyone has congratulated Yuuri and the two people I didn't knew introduced themselves to me as Lady Anissina and Yozak. Just the little girl remains. She slowly walks up to Yuuri who kneels and hugs her lovingly. I don't know why, but I think it would make a lovely family portrait.

"Happy birthday Yuuri" she says shyly and Yuuri hugs her again. "Thank you Greta" he says smiling. He stands up and holds the girl hand. They both turn around to face me and walk on my direction.

"Wolfram, may I introduce you to Greta Shibuya, _our_ beautiful adoptive daughter" he says holding my hand with his free one. I swallow slowly trying to process the thought. This little girl is Yuuri's daughter... she's **my** daughter... okay... I think I can handle that... so why is the room spinning all of the sudden? I need to breath... calm down...

"You really don't remember me Wolfram?" the little shaking voice coming from the girl makes me come back to reality. I can see she's at the verge of tears and Yuuri seems to be hurting a lot too. I feel bad for the girl, it's not her fault I can't remember a thing about this people, she must really miss her father... one of her fathers that is.

"I'm sorry sweety I don't, but if you don't mind expending some time with me I would really enjoy getting to know all about you all over again" I say smiling as I kneel down and put some brown locks behind her ear uncovering her teary eyes. She looks up to me and smiles, weak but a smile nonetheless, that calms me down enough to finish processing the situation.

"Okay, I can do that" she says and I can hear Yuuri breath again. I wonder how long has he been holding his breath. I stand up again and Greta runs to get some oddly wrapped present mother was holding for her. Meanwhile Yuuri walks closer to me and cups my right cheek with his hand "Thank you Wolf, thank you so much..." he whispers and I think I see a tear threatening to roll down his face when Greta gets to us and gives the present to Yuuri.

"Thank you Greta, what is it?" he says and Greta jumps back next to lady Anissina. "It's something we made for you" she says giggling. Yuuri suddenly becomes pale. "You mean Anissina and you?" he says, his voice is shaking for some reason and he practically falls down when both ladies nod.

"Oh... well, I think I'll unwrap this later in my room... to... emm... enjoy it privately" he says and quickly puts the present down in a small table by the wall.

"But Yuuri..." Greta starts protesting but is cut short by a cough from Gwendal "I believe the food is getting colder, why don't we take our seats?" he says in an order tone and everyone seems to agree enthusiastically, oddly everyone is glad to change the subject, I wanted to know what the present was.

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><p>On a completely different subject from the story, is it just me or the site went nuts today? My hit counter is at zero, and I'm getting reviews anyway, how is that possible?<p> 


	21. Chapter 21: The first Dream

Hi guys! This is the chapter I was most excited to post ever since I started this story! Hope you enjoy it :D

Some clarifications: this chapter is in W's POV and it's a bit shorter than the others because, as I explained before, chapter 20 and 21 were originally a single chapter that got cut in half to make some structural changes

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><p><strong>Chapter 21: The first dream<strong>

After dinner is over and a little celebration toast is shared in honor of Yuuri we made out way to our room and Yuuri throws himself in bed looking exhausted, I think he hasn't been getting a lot of sleep lately, but now he seems more relaxed. I bet he was freaking out about me meeting Greta, I think I would have been too, being a parent is not something I would picture myself doing so soon, but the little girl is just adorable. She has those beautiful brown eyes that make you want to just say yes to everything she asks, and she's quite smart too. I don't know if I have the right, but I feel really proud of her as a parent.

"Yuuri, put on you pajamas before falling asleep" I say and Yuuri stands up like a zombie and walks to the dresser. I suppress my laughs and go to the bathroom to get changed, when I come out Yuuri is already out for the day. He looks so peaceful and beautiful I want to just kiss him... I mean... well...

I'm just hopeless aren't I? How come I fell for this guy in only a few weeks... maybe it has something to do with my past memories coming back? I really don't think so though...

I get under the covers and exhaustion quickly starts to put it's weight on me...

~ O ~

_I can hear the whistling again. Is this a room or am I in the middle of a forest? I just can't tell, it's too dark for me to see even myself..._

_I stand up and run, run trying to find a way out, trying to find a light, but it's useless, all around me is darkness, and this sound won't leave me alone. That voice that sounds so familiar but so threatening, a woman, a mother maybe? I feel her voice has a power over me, a power I can't reject, I feel drawn to her, to her voice._

_But I don't want to leave, I don't want to go, I want to stay, why do I feel this woman can't take me away? I'm desperate and only one name comes to my mind, only one name could save me..._

"_Yuuri!" my shout echoes in the invisible walls and I hear something breaking, suddenly there's a light on top of me, a red and golden light that shines like nothing I've ever seen_

"He's mine"

_A soft voice comes from the light. It's not angry, it's not dangerous like the woman's voice, but just as familiar. I come closer and try to reach it. There's someone there, he's smiling so sadly it makes my heart ache. Tears start running down my face as I walk away from the warmth of the light. My back hits a wall and I fall to the cold floor._

_The light becomes brighter and warmer, and it reaches out to me, what would happen if I accept this embrace? _

"Don't cry" _he says and his feet touch the ground. I can see his eyes for the first time... those eyes... that fire... I know him... I know who that person is... he's the owner of Yuuri's heart... and that person is not me..._

_He extends his hand for me to grab and I slap it away._

"_Why! Why can't he be mine!" _

"**That question only you can answer. Only you can take him away"**

_Purple smoke starts surrounding me and the light starts to fade. I feel something inside of me is crying._

"**Take him away, make him yours..."**

_The smoke has become serpents and the the whistling has become hissing, they surround me, they cradle me, like a mother's embrace... but something's wrong isn't it? Somewhere something is breaking, somewhere someone is crying, somewhere... someone is dying._

_The pain is almost unbearable... but I have already made my choice..._

_He'll be mine. I'll take him away from you._

_I'm so sorry... Wolfram. _

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><p>So now that little W understands who he really is, actually who he is <strong>not<strong>, what will happen? And what's with this motherly feeling he gets from the snake lady?

Anyone wants to take a wild guess? ;)


	22. Chapter 22: Ken's POV

Big time jump here guys

**Elle von Werner: **yeah! it happened to me too, I started writing wanting to completely hate W, but as his personality developed I just couldn't do it, so I had to change my storyline.

**blackirishawk: **wow! I'll just say this: you guessed right! but you guessed twice, so I won't tell you which guess is the right one [ evil smile {: ]

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><p><strong>Chapter 22: Ken's POV<strong>

It has been already three months since the incident with Wolfram and even though his physical condition is now completely back to normal his memories have not come back. At all.

This is not so worrying. There had been cases in which an amnesic person recovers his memories even after years have passed. At least it wouldn't be if he is, in fact, amnesic.

I been having my doubts since day one but what happened today made me question things even further.

As I walk into the shrine the smile I've been faking slowly disappears. I open the twin doors to Ulrike's meditation room and two sets of eyes with the same expression as mine look back at me.

"Did you confirmed it yourself?" Shinou asks, not wasting any time. Wolfram is his descendant after all, so it was about time he showed up.

"I did" I say in the most neutral tone I can manage. Ulrike gasps and covers her mouth with both her hands. This is what we have been fearing all along. "Then Lord von Bielefeld is..." she finally manages to say, although she doesn't have the strength to finish the sentence.

"No, he's alive, and he's in Blood Pledge Castle" Shinou says looking at the boxes.

"But how?" she says, her voice is trembling, I walk up to her and place myself behind her holding her shoulders.

"I don't know" I can hear the frustration on Shinou's voice.

"Care to tell us where have you been all this time?" I say after making sure Ulrike sits down.

"I have been on the Bielefeld territory" My eyes almost popped out of their sockets... so he knew all along... "Don't be so surprised my friend. I only went there to punish whoever had hurt my descendant. At least that was the goal at the beginning. But I as can see for the stack of read books on your room you have found out as little as I have"

I straighten up my posture and lean on the wall trying to gather my thoughts. "I had my doubts about Lord von Bielefeld's memory lost since the beginning. But I found nothing wrong with him and neither did the healers" Shinou nods and sits on The end of the Wind.

"I can imagine why. Not even I felt anything extrange until just recently, that is why I decided to come back this morning" Ulrike stands up and her divination sphere appears in front of her. "This is Lord von Bielefeld's majutsu's light" she says looking at the small red star next to Yuuri's "He **is** at Blood Pledge Castle... I can't be wrong"

"And you aren't, Ulrike" I say looking at the small star that seems to be loosing it's glow as every second passes. "When I was asked to help Wolfram recover the control over his marioku I was shocked. Neither Günter nor Gwendal were capable of performing the task. His marioku was always so strong, tapping into it once again should not have been much of a problem, but then..."

"You found not a single trace of it in his body" Shinou finish the sentence for me. I nod.

"That is impossible. Majutsu is a characteristic of the soul. If that was Lord von Bielefeld's soul he would have it or else he would be dead!" Ulrike points out what is going through all of our heads.

"Well, he was dead for a moment when we found him... could that be the reason?" I say hopefully, although I pretty much already know the answer.

"It is not impossible. But highly unlikely, considering Wolfram's light can still be seen, his soul still possesses his marioku" Shinou says holding his head with his hand like he was about to get a strong headache, which he probably would if he wasn't dead.

"Well then. Lets review the facts: We are certain that Wolfram's soul is currently at Blood Pledge Castle, next to Yuuri" I pause and receive an affirmative nod from Ulrike and Shinou. I take a deep breath before continuing. "We also know that whoever the person we see as Wolfram is, he does not hold Wolfram soul" they nod again.

"But it is impossible!" I say as the headache reaches me too.

"Nothing is, my Sage" Shinou says standing up, right now is really not the moment to get cryptic.

"You haven't told Yuuri about this, have you?" he asks and I roll my eyes as a response.

"Of course not, what would have I told him? I don't even understand this myself. Besides..." I just can't bring myself to continue, out of respect for Wolfram, the real Wolfram, wherever he is. But Shinou gives me one of this looks, those that mean nothing more and nothing less than an order and signals me to continue.

"Shibuya really likes this Wolfram... I don't know how to put this but... We had a conversation some days ago and he told me some stuff..." I clear my throat before continuing and Shinou starts getting restless.

"He said Wolfram had told him he didn't wanted to get his memories back, that he didn't wanted to disappear, to lose himself because of his old self. Shibuya said he was fine with that... At first I thought it was because he really believes that Wolfram is still the same person, but now I'm not so sure" Shinou groans and I feel his anger raising.

"Is his love for my descendant so weak?" he says as a gold aura starts filling the room and his body is lifted from the ground. Great, just what I needed, the Great Baby taking matters personally.

"No it is not" I say looking at him defiantly. "What makes you so sure?" he asks, still not holding back his powers. "I know him. And so do you. You chose him because of who he is, and you know as well as I do that his feeling are never shallow" he seems more or less convinced by my words but he still hasn't held back his powers. I'm about to call onto my marioku to see if I can knock some sense out of him. I might not be much more than a battery recharge, but I still can do a thing or two, but then...

"Shinou Heika! Come down this instant!" Ulrike's little but very angry voice makes us both snap out of it and burst into laughter. I swear that woman will strangle us both with her hair someday.

"Forgive me Ulrike. This is no time to wasted in useless arguments" he says now in miniature form. I wipe a laugh tear off my cheek and clear my throat.

"Anyway, the only information we have to proceed are the present events and what Shibuya and I saw the day we rescued Lord von Bielefeld. I have search through every book in the shrine and the Castle's library and came up almost empty handed" I look down knowing the reflection of the light in the waterfall will hide my eyes with the help of my glasses.

"Everything about the people that might have inhabited the Bielefeld lands before the foundation of Shin Makoku has been ripped out of the history books and any present data about the lands is held on Bielefeld Castle. I also was unable to find anything about any tribe capable of transforming into smoke or performing smoke mirages... wait... Mirage..."

Something just clicked inside of my head... A name I saw on one of the books just before a portion of pages was ripped off... Which one was it? Before I know it I'm running towards my room and apparently Ulrike and Shinou run behind me. I slam the door open and scan it quickly looking for the small purple book I read less than a week ago.

"Here!" I say as I open the book and start looking for the right page. I read out loud.

"_Mirage is the name inherited by every generation of rulers of the proud tribe that shares the same name. Capable of great magic, although known for their peaceful ways; they live in the secluded forest of Ghy..."_

"Ghy?" asks Shinou

"That is where the page has been torn off. I overlooked it at first because the name didn't rang any bells, but now I remember!" I say excitedly, seriously, if it wasn't too uncool I would be jumping up and down right now. "The forest currently on the border if the Bielefeld territory was named Ghyran forest before Rufus took over it!"

I can almost hear the clicks in their heads as I finish mi sentence.

"That would explain it! The power that the Mirage tribe controls is perfectly capable of doing something like this!" Shinou smirks evilly, probably thinking about crushing the bastards.

"But Shinou Heika, there is a problem with that..." Ulrike says in a tiny voice bringing me and Shinou down from our cloud.

"During the reign of the 26th Maou, her former majesty Cheri-sama, Lord Stoffel von Spitzweg ordered the killing of the Mirage tribe, it was a massacre, and I believe Lady Cheri never knew about it, as it was done during the war and the country's attention was focused elsewhere. But I am certain, every single one of them was killed."

"WHAT?" I don't know if it was me who screamed, maybe it was Shinou.

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><p>They were so close! it's a real shame :(<p> 


	23. Chapter 23: Yuuri's POV

**Chapter 23: Yuuri's POV**

I'm officially drained. Really, I'm exhausted. I thought I was used to signing ridiculous amounts of paperwork every single day of my life, but apparently I was wrong.

For the last couple of weeks my desk has never been empty for over twenty seconds. It's obvious Gwendal is doing this on purpose, and not only him, Günter, Conrad and Anissina too! When I read the first couple of nonsensical requests I thought they were maybe testing me. Because, being completely honest, sometimes I don't pay much attention to what I sign. But now I'm convince they are just trying to keep me locked up in my office all day long.

With Anissina actually is not such a strange thing. Weekly I reject about twenty to thirty petitions that come from her. It's not the money that she asks for her inventions what horrifies me, oh no. One time, when I was kind of flying low, I was saved by Gwendal at the last minute from signing a petition asking to have the king as her personal test subject for an invention called something like _Blow-them-up-kun_. I owe Gwendal my life for that, sure thing.

Gwendal also asks for some weird things from time to time. Permission to marry off Anissina, for example.

But now even Conrad has been sending lots and lots of completely useless reports about the most insignificant things. One of them was almost a hundred pages long and it was about the last harvest on a small town on the Voltaire lands. Usually I only get a page long summary concerning each noble land.

And the reason for this torture? Wolfram. They want to keep me away from their little brother. I'm really getting tired of overprotective, brother-complex older brothers.

I only have two more parchments on the unread pile and nobody seems to have noticed. I better hurry up and make a run for it before they do. I just have to read this through and I will be a free man!

Oh great, this is a serious one, concerning the destruction of a very important bridge on the Gyllenhal lands. Now I have to really concentrate.

I look at Gwendal from the corner of my eye. He's knitting something... I'm not even going to try guessing what it is, but judging by the amount of holes on it I'm thinking he's really stressed.

Wolfram has been having a hard time tapping into his marioku since he lost his memory. Neither Gwendal nor Günter were capable of helping him. They are really worried because Wolf never had a problem with this. He's one of the few living mazoku that made a pact with an element just being a toddler.

But they don't understand how hard it can be to do it when you have no idea of what _it_ is to begin with. I try to make him not worry about it, and apparently I have become the public enemy because of it. Even Günter said I was wrong, that almost NEVER happens. Also, according to Gwendal, Wolfram can't control his emotions when I'm around, and that's slowing him down. I completely disagree though, I mean, as far as I remember, the more upset Wolfram gets, the more powerful he becomes.

Okay. The documents are done with. I just need to leave as if nothing was happening. I stand up from my chair trying not to make any noise.

"Where do you think you are going, Heika?" Crap, if I don't come up with something good I'll be stuck here until dinner time.

"I finished signing the papers and I was thinking of spending some time with Greta before dinner" I'm using my own daughter as a pretext, I'm the worst parent ever, I know. But I actually do want to see her for more than five minutes, I haven't talked to her alone in over a week.

Gwendal looks at me doubtingly. I tilt my head to the side and give him a pleading look, that always works as a charm. "Come on! I promise we won't go near the training ground. I know today is Wolf's first lesson with Murata and it's only about an hour before dinner time "

"Fine" he says in a husky voice and I run out of the room before he has time to change his mind. When I turn the corner I finally stop and take a deep breath. Freedom tastes so good.

"Yuuri!" I look to my right and Greta appears next to me. This is perfect! She's wearing a green summer dress and has her hair tight up in a pony tail, she looks so cute... my little girl is growing up so fast it's frustrating. Actually, I'm the one who isn't aging at all, which makes it more frustrating.

"Greta! I was just about to go get you. Would you like to take a walk with me?" I say and offer my arm for her to grab, which she does gracefully.

We walk to the gardens followed by four or five soldiers. It's unbelievable how I can't be left alone even in my own castle. We're used to this so when I give Greta a wink she knows exactly what to do.

In a flash we're both running at full speed with the soldiers behind us. We turn a corner and instead of keep running we hide behind some bushes and the soldiers run past us. When the coast is clear we stand up and laugh. At least life here is never boring.

"So how is my girl doing this days?" I ask smiling. She smiles back, but I can see she's worried about something.

"What is it Greta? is something wrong?" I ask and she shakes her head. We sit on a bench hidden behind some trees. I believe this is Cheri-sama's make out spot.

"I'm worried about Wolfram, when will his memory come back?" she asks looking at her shoes. I feel so bad for her. I can't imagine how I would have felt if some day my mom would have forgotten me. Specially being so young, not that Wolfram is Greta's mom, but sometimes I think he kind of is. Greta has been through so much, and here she finally found a family.

"I don't know Greta. But you know he loves you no matter what. I have seen you two together lately, and even without his memories he still cares a lot about you" I say patting her head. Is weird having a child so similar in age to you. I feel as if I wasn't enough of a parent for her, not without Wolfram at least.

"I know that, but he's... so different now. I feel like he wasn't Wolfram at all" her voice starts shaking and she grabs her dress with both hands trying to hold back her tears. I feel like crying myself. I have had the same feeling for so long now but I just can't... I can't accept that...

"He will be okay" I hug her and soon feel the warm tears in my shoulder. "I promise he will be okay, you know I would give my life for him right?"

She nods but keeps on crying. I can't cry too. I have to be strong for the three of us, for our family. You would think I'm a wimp if I cried right Wolf?... Damn, Wolfram why can't you just remember...

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><p>This story is coming out much more angst than I expected... I'd really like to know your opinion about this, I couldn't decide when I chose the categories for this story, but I went for HurtComfort and Humor, because there is a bit of both in the story, this chapter is a clear example, it started with some jokes and then went right into Hurt, but what do you think?

I think life is a little like that, we jump from one emotion to the other several times during a single day, so I don't think it's all that bad, but I'd hate to see that some people started reading this story expecting more humor than this and then got disappointed.

You think I should change the categories? and if you do, to which?


	24. Chapter 24: Ken's POV

I remember I was listening to "Blaze" from the third Escaflowne OST when I wrote this, so if it sounds a bit tragic in the middle, blame the song, if you can download it and listen to it while reading this, maybe you'll get the same mental pictures I did.

I changed the categories to Romance and Hurt/Comfort.

Remember to R&R ;)

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><p><strong>Chapter 24: Ken's POV<strong>

"What!"

"As I said, the whole tribe was killed" Ulrike repeats with hurt on her voice.

"But how? And how come _you_ didn't know about this?" I look at Shinou, I have an excuse, I was living on Earth at the time, as Christine if I'm doing the math right. If not I still wasn't here, the life previous to that one I wasn't a mazoku either.

"I did. I mean, I do, I forgot" I blink once, twice... I want to punch him.

"What? It was over fifty years ago, and I was otherwise occupied with choosing Sussana Julia's soul as the one my chosen one would be given" I sigh and try to get myself together, before answering in a calmer tone.

"Why didn't you stopped it?"

"You know as well as I do that my presence at that time was limited. I was being consumed and couldn't afford to waste energy in anything other than our plan. Stoffel's ploy only got to the temple after the harm had been done." he says with a slash of guilt. I feel guilty too actually, I crossed the line there.

"It's true. If Lord Stoffeld hadn't order us to erase any record of the tribe from the shrine's library we would have never known for sure" Ulrike adds with a sad expression. But wait... then that means...

"Ulrike, are you saying he never asked you to confirm the disappearance of the tribe?" Ulrike and Shinou both get where I'm going with my question immediately and a smile appears on her childish features.

"No! He did not" she says clapping her hands together.

Ulrike, being the Genshi Miko, has the power to sence almost every type of power or energy, and almost always find said power, in other words, figure out the location of the power's owner. Stoffel has always been an overconfident person in this cases, and probably did not bother asking her to perform the search after his massacre, being sure his soldiers had ended the lives of every person in the tribe, which is highly unlikely, considering how powerful they were. So that means...

"They could still be alive somewhere" Shinou finishes my trail of thought.

For a moment we feel relieved of the weight of carrying yet another tragedy on our shoulders. Many, if not all, of the dramatic events that have come after our time were somehow involved in our plan to destroy the Soushu. I'm no one to tell that the end does not justify the means, in this case I'm sure it did, but that doesn't make it less painful.

But then it hits me...

"Shit, this is not good... if some of the people from the tribe are, in fact, still alive, then Wolfram would be their perfect target for revenge. He's not only the son of the Maou that was supposed to give the orders back then, he's not only the nephew of the man who actually gave the order, he's also the descendant of the man who initially took their lands away from them, Rufus von Bielefeld."

The pact for the lands was made peacefully, I remember it now, but I doubt the story has remained straight through the years, it almost never does.

Ulrike freezes and Shinou looks at me worriedly, knowing I'm not finish with the bad news.

"Moreover, we have no idea of how powerful they are, not even Yuuri was able to manage with them using all of his strength. We don't know is the Wolfram von Bielefeld I saw this afternoon is the actual Wolfram von Bielefeld. We have no idea who our enemy is or where it is... We have nothing... And as we speak Wolfram's light becomes weaker..."

In other words, we're doomed. This can't be possible. I sit down on my bed and rest my chin on my right hand trying to think. There has to be something we can do. I do have a certain affection for Wolfram, but Shibuya is the one currently on my mind.

This is the man he loves that we are talking about, the one that Shibuya was willing to sacrifice his life to save. What will happen if the blond now sharing his bed is not the real Wolfram. What will happen if Wolfram is dead, or if he dies while the three of us knew something was wrong and did nothing. He hasn't even confessed yet... Shibuya would never forgive us, but more importantly, he would change. The kind Maou with the goofy smile... would he be able to survive loosing the one person he loves?

"Did you not learned anything else on your visit to the castle today?" Shinou asks sitting next to me, now in his full form. I shake my head.

"I was only there for a little while, because training with no majutsu was pointless, although I didn't tell Wolfram that of course. I talked to Dr. Rodriguez before the training session, but he just keep telling me something about dreams and Freud and..."

"Who is this Freud?" Shinou interrupts me, damned his curiosity, does that really matter? Whatever, I'll just answer in the simplest way I can.

"Freud was an Austrian neurologist who founded the discipline of psychoanalysis. Trying to explain it would take forever, but what the doctor was referring was Freud's theories about dream analysis. He's probably using this method to treat Wolfram, maybe trying to reach his forgotten memories through his subconscious by analysing his dreams. Personally I do not agree with many of Freud's theories".

Probably because I know idiotic Great Babies can alter one's dreams at will.

"However, Dr. Rodriguez seems to think Wolfram's dreams hold the key to his memories." When I finish talking I see Shinou is suddenly smirking. What in hell can he be smirking about in a moment like this?

"Well my Sage, there is just one way of finding out if the doctor is right"

Oh... I see. I momentarily forgot Shinou is the biggest voyeur I have ever met.

"Tonight then?" I ask and Ulrike looks at us with a puzzled, somehow scolding expression. She doesn't know what we are going to do, but she probably figures we are up to no good.

"What moment better than the present?"

Shinou smiles and leads the way back to Ulrike's meditation room.


	25. Chapter 25: W's POV

Well, so I went kinda MIA for a couple of days (weeks?). It was completely unintended, I just suddenly saw myself drowning with college stuff. But now I can happily say that I'm finally on vacation! A really short vacation though, just a little less than a month. But that's what you get after a six month long paralisation of activities.

Anyway, enjoy chapter 25, **so **so sorry for making you wait this long!

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><p>Chapter 25: W's POV<p>

As I wait for Yuuri to come to bed I let my mind wander a little while looking at the beautiful starry sky. I feel so guilty and at the same time I can't stop. I still don't know who I am, but I know I'm not Wolfram, I'm not the person that Yuuri loves so much.

I think Murata has discovered me, or al least he's suspecting me. After today's training session he just smiled at me and left, but I noticed something in his eyes when he was searching my body for the power I'm supposed to have and obviously don't.

Everybody else has done the same and just went on with the training, I don't think they found anything strange in me. However Murata, he's different, he saw something in me.

I'm not sure of what I want now. A part of me wishes he would unveil me, just tell everybody that I'm not Wolfram and hopefully tell me who I actually am. I want to know. I want to be free of this voice, the woman's voice. **She** knows who I am.

On the other side my heart wishes to remain this way, to stay at Yuuri's side, to be the person he loves. Not because I'm Wolfram, but because I'm me.

"Hey Wolf, are you with us?" Yuuri's voice startles me and I almost jump out the window.

"What? What do you mean?" I answer as a reflex. He comes near me and put a hand on my left shoulder while smiling. I sigh silently and direct my gaze to the sky again, every interaction with this man is filled with such affection that I can barely stand it.

I know he says that it doesn't matter if I never get my memory back, he says I'm fine the way I am now. But is just because he still believes that I'm Wolfram... right?

"You seem lost in space. What's wrong? The training with Murata didn't work?" he ask walking away, in the direction of his dresser.

"I don't know. I still can't do anything, I don't even understand what I'm supposed to feel" I say and walk to the bed, I'm already wearing my nightgown, I have to admit the thing is quite comfortable.

"Don't worry. You'll get there" he says sitting next to me.

"But what if I never..." I can't bring myself to finish the phrase. He looks down for a moment, his bangs won't let me see his expression, but soon he looks up and smiles at me. Without saying another word he lies down and grabs my arm. I obey the unspoken request and lie beside him. I rest my head on his chest and listen to his even breathing and heartbeat.

"You don't want to remember, do you?" he asks. I can't really read his tone. I'd like to know if he'll be angry when hearing my answer, but he's not giving himself away. But there's no use on lying now is it? Maybe he even knows already...

"I want you to see me for me... I want to be the one at your side. _This_ me, not the Wolfram you knew before..." Tears are choking in my throat, I just can't bring myself to speak anymore.

"Wolf I... I've been thinking a lot about this. I know you don't feel like the person you're supposed to be, and I understand what you're asking for me... bit I just can't give you an answer right now, I don't understand this well enough myself..."

I'm holding my breath, while tears run down my cheeks and wet Yuuri's pajama top. He runs his fingers through my hair and pats my back from time to time.

"Give me some time to understand this... it's just that I..."

"Don't want to choose?" I finish his phrase for him in a whisper.

"I just can't believe that I have to..." I can hear his words getting caught up on his chest.

So he knows? No... but he's getting close...

Well... at least I can still share this nights, this embraces with Yuuri.

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><p>How horrible of me to come back after so long with such a short chapter! Even I hate myself right now! <strong>However<strong>, as a little "forgive me" gift, later tonight I'll upload chapter 26(which is longer, I promise)! I just need to spell check it ;)


	26. Chapter 26: The second dream

As promised, chapter 26!

This second dream is narrated from Ken's POV, and the song, well actually parts of it, is _Aoi Hitomi (Blue Eyes) _as sung by Maaya Sakamoto, lyrics by Iwasato Yuuho, and composition by Youko Kanno. I changed the word _aoi (blue), _to _kuroi (black)_ so it matches Yuuri's eyes ;)

Don't forget to leave a comment! I just came out of a month full of exams and I could really use a little inspiration to get back on the writing horse ;)

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><p><strong>Chapter 26: The second dream.<strong>

I think this is the first time Ulrike actually agrees to us using her divination sphere to spy on someone's dream. Not that we do it all the time of course. Shinou can just skip this step of the process and get himself inside the person's head, but this time we are not supposed to interfere or be sensed, so this way it's the best.

We have been waiting for about an hour now and Wolfram is finally drifting off, as the sphere begins to shine to let us know our target is entering dreamland. With my help Shinou concentrates his marioku and manages to project the image into the waterfall in the wall. The entire room is dark so this seems pretty much like a cinema. With surround sound and all. We also put a sound proof magic barrier so no one other than us can hear anything of what's about to happen. The shrine's maidens have been told not to let anyone pass, not even the Maou, as Shinou Heika's order.

"He's asleep" Shinou says and we focus out attention on the waterfall. All we can see is darkness, the room starts to get colder by the second and we suddenly hear a voice. Someone's singing.

_Dakishimenaide watashi no akogare_

_(Please don't embrace my longing)_

_hisoka na ude no naka_

_(secretly in your arms)_

_kono mama de ii kara_

_(Because I'm fine the way I am)_

"Is that Wolfram's voice?" I ask, I really can't tell, it sounds like him, but it's just not right...

"No, it isn't" Shinou answers me without taking his eyes of the waterfall. But if that is not him, then who is he? and who is he singing to?

The darkness is suddenly dissipated and we can see a heartbreaking scene. Wolfram is trapped, surrounded by purple snakes that hiss on his hears. He's the one singing and the one he's singing to is... Shibuya. Shibuya is walking towards him smiling.

_Sono kuroi hitomi_

_(Esos ojos negros)_

_utsukushii orokasa_

_(beautiful foolishness)_

_anata no nani mo kamo_

_(I believed everything about you)_

_kiseki da to shinjita_

_(was a miracle)_

There's so much hurt in his voice, why is he singing this to Shibuya?... He keeps smiling and walking in Wolfram's direction. He's offering his hand for Wolfram to take...

_Mizu o fukunda kaze ga hoho o nadete yuku_

_(A damp wind strokes my cheek)_

_nani mo kamo wasurete_

_(Forget everything)_

_kowashite shimae_

_(Break it off.)_

_konna chiisana jibun mo ashita mo_

_(And tomorrow too, even this small me)_

_anata o aishiteru..._

_(will love you...)_

But Wolfram doesn't take it.

_Dakishimenaide watashi no akogare_

_(Please don't embrace my longing)_

_hisoka na ude no naka_

_(secretly in your arms.)_

_kono mama de ii kara_

_(Because I'm fine the way I am)_

"Why would Lord von Bielefeld reject Heika like that?" Ulrike asks heartbroken as Yuuri walks away. Shinou shakes his head as I wait for the answer too.

"That is not my descendant... Look at his eyes"

"Oh dear Lord, those eyes..." Ulrike takes a step back and I almost do the same as I see the eyes on the tear stained face.

"Purple snake eyes" I say, wearing my poker face once more. "The Mirage tribe ruler's eyes"

I take another look at the person trapped by the purple snakes. He's crying and shivering. Whoever he is, he's suffering too. Then something on the distance draws our attention, although the the purple eyed Wolfram doesn't seem to notice, or maybe he just doesn't care.

A bright golden light is approaching him and the room temperature starts raising. It feels warm and loving. Somewhere deep inside of me I feel like crying.

"_It's okay" _

"Shinou, that was..." keeping up the poker face is getting more and more difficult.

"That is my decendant's voice" Ulrike swallows a yelp when hearing this. She's feeling it too. This is not just a simple dream. That is Wolfram's light. That is Wolfram's soul. What the fuck is going on inside that body!

"_I'm so sorry... so sorry... I just love him so much"_

The purple eyed Wolfram cries as the real Wolfram's body starts becoming visible through the light.

"_I know, so do I"_

He says and pats his other self? in the head. I can't believe this, how can he be so calmed. This energy I'm feeling. This feeling that I know too well, it cannot be...

"_It will be alright, I won't let him be alone. If that is what he wants, he can be yours. I will keep you by his side"_

"Oh no..." I let the words escape my mouth, now I'm almost sure... Wolfram's figure starts to disappear once again, leaving only the light behind him. But something's wrong. Something is pulling him away.

"_**It's okay my son, take him away from the one who hurt us, make him yours. Make the Maou yours"**_

"What the fuck!" I yell when the female voice appears. It's almost a hissing, it sounds so much like a snake I can barely understand the meaning of each word, and I think purple eyed Wolfram actually doesn't.

Then the image stops, and we are left alone in the darkness, staring at the waterfall. He must have woken up.

"What has been done to him...?" Ulrike says almost loosing her balance.

"The shape of his soul... he has accepted it, he has accepted his destiny" I say almost falling down myself, not anyone would have noticed, being that I actually didn't move at all, but Shinou knows me and he knows how I'm feeling right now.

I have been there so many times and it doesn't get easier, not matter the number of times you go through it. Accepting everything, letting everything go, being ready to embrace anything, to embrace destiny, to embrace death... Such a painful thing...

"This isn't right, this is not his destiny..." I mumble to myself as Shinou holds me by the shoulders from behind.

"No, it is not. And I will make sure this gets fixed"

"We are running out of time" Ulrike suddenly says, she has gotten herself together and she's looking at her divination sphere.

"How much longer?" he asks leaning closer to me.

"Three days at the most"

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><p>Wow... big cliff hanger there... didn't mean it though...<p>

In another note, I noticed the previous chapters have a lot of typos, some of the letter formats are all wrong and some phrases have even been completely erased! I take my time at double checking before posting so this is really a surprise for me. When I have time I'll re post the entire thing. If any of you found the mistakes to be a bother while reading I apologise!


	27. Author's update, please read !

Hi everyone, I really need to take a moment here to make some explanations about how I got inspired to write this story, TO ALL OF YOU WHO SKIP OVER THE AUTHOR'S NOTE, PLEASE, TAKE THE TIME TO READ THIS, I know is long and annoying, but it's also very important.

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I had three sources of inspiration for this story, the first one is a manga (a yaoi manga, go figure) named G-SENJOU NO NEKO. I won't give you any details about this, but I do recommend it, I will say though, that it is M rated, so if you are underage you should skip reading it (you don't need to listen to me though, your choice XD).

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The second one is a song, the song that will come up on the next chapter. Although it's not meant to be a song-fic I will put the entire song, because it was actually hearing this song that I came up with the plot. The song is Yakusoku wa iranai, from the anime Escaflowne OST. If you want to listen to the song while reading, please don't, and if you do, then do it imagining it with the rhythm of the song Deja Blue, also from the Escaflowne OST, it's actually the same song, but without the lyrics and a slower rhythm. The original song is far too cheerful. I don't want to post the link to the songs here, because I think I would be breaking a rule by doing so, but if anyone has any problems downloading the songs, PM me or comment here and I'll send the link to you (from my mediafire account).

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Now the third thing (so I stop babbling and you don't end up hating my guts) is the song that already appeared on the last chapter. If it wasn't clear already that I was listening to the Escaflowne OST when I thought of and wrote this story.

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I want to include a disclaimer here: the songs do not belong to me, all the rights belong to Yoko Kanno and Maaya Sakamoto, no harm intended with the slight change I made to the song on the last chapter ;)

It'll take me a little longer to post the next chapter, I've been having some problems trying to make my mental images into words, please bear with me for a little while longer! :D


	28. Chapter 27: Yuuri's dream

Hello guys! This story is really looking more and more like a songfic, but I guess it's because I wrote it while listening to the same CD playing over and over again.

Just one or two more chapters to go I think, **please remember to leave me a comment**, next chapter is obviously the turning point of the story and I'd really like to know where you want me to take it from here or if you feel like two more chapters is not enough to wrap up the plot.

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><p>Chapter 27: Yuuri's dream<p>

I'm riding Ao along an unknown and beautiful path. I have never been here, but somehow I'm sure this is Shin Makoku, the calming breeze brings with it the soul of my country, I just know it.

The sun is setting in the horizon and everything becomes orange and purple around me, it shines so beautifully as a damp wind strokes my cheeks. Ao feels it too, and he calmly stops and turns around, prepared to get me back home. Maybe I don't know where we are, but apparently she does.

But as soon as we turn a familiar sound caught my attention. The gallop of a horse I know too well. I look back as the rain starts falling ruthlessly... and I see him. He's wearing his his red riding hood. For a second it makes me think maybe he's being chased by a wolf, and the pun there reminds me of Conrad for a moment too.

I want to call out to him, ask him why he's going so fast, but is useless, my every word is silenced by the pouring rain and he doesn't seem to want to hear me either.

He passes by my side and for a moment time seems to slow down. For a split second our eyes meet, even though he never slows down. His eyes say so much, I know he's crying, although he seems to be smiling on the outside. Why do I feel like I haven't seen those eyes in such a long time, those emerald eyes... those eyes I fell in love with.

But as soon as all this thoughts finish running through my head he's gone. My prince in the white stallion is running away from me.

"Wolf!" I scream once, twice, but he can't hear me, can he? I loose sight of him, he's far and the rain won't help. Now it's completely dark and I can barely see at all.

I jump out of Ao and fall to my knees, I'm soaking wet and I can't see at all. The sound of the rain is the only thing I can distinguish. Suddenly Ao gets startled by something and whines trying to get out of my grasp.

"What is it girl?" I ask getting back on my feet and stroking her head. Then I hear it, coming from somewhere above us, a voice humming in the distance.

The rain keeps falling but now I cannot hear it, I can't even feel it. Ao gets scared again and manages to scape from me, but I don't care anymore. This voice...

_Nee aishitara daremo ga_

_(Say, when they're in love, )_

_konna kodoku ni naru no?_

_(does everybody gets this lonely?)_

_Nee kurayami yori mo fukai kurushimi_

_(Say, do they embrace the pain)_

_dakishimeteru no?_

_(that's even deeper than the darkness?)_

_Nani mo kamo ga futari kagayaku tame_

_(It's all been so that we can shine,)_

_kitto_

_(I just know it!)_

Wolfram... this is you singing... even though I can't see you I know it's you. Why are you singing this to me? Why did you run from me?

_Kimi o kimi o aishiteru_

_(I... I love you)_

_kokoro de mitsumete iru_

_(I'm gazing at you with my heart)_

_Kimi o kimi o shinjiteru _

_(I... I believe in you)_

_samui yoru mo_

_(even in the coldest night)_

Somewhere in from of me I can see something red moving towards me, and as it gets closer I recognize it as Wolfram's hood. I want to run to him but my feet won't move.

"Wolfram, what are you doing? Talk to me" I plead to him, but he doesn't answer, I don't know if he can't hear me but he makes no sign of doing so. He just keeps singing, and now I'm sure, the voice, the song, he's the one singing.

_Nee koi shite mo dare ni mo itsuka_

_(Say, even if they're in love)_

_owari ga kuru no_

_(could the end someday come for them too?)_

_Nee aozora yori mo sunda_

_(Say, could a feeling that's even)_

_tokimeki susete shimau no?_

_(clearer than the blue sky end up being abandoned?)_

_Kisetsu kawaru no kaze_

_(The season-changing winds)_

_michi o hashiru_

_(running along the streets)_

_zutto_

_(Forever)_

He stops about nine feet away from me and finally looks up. Those emerald green eyes, deepest than the ocean, are now locked on mine. He smiles with such sadness it makes my heart shrink.

_Tatoe ashita nakushite mo_

_(Even if I lost tomorrow,)_

_anata o ushinatte mo_

_(and even if I lost you too,)_

_dekiru kagiri no egao de kayagakitai_

_(I wan to shine, smiling as best as I can)_

_Nanima de ima yobi kakeru_

_(I call out to you now with my tears)_

_yakusoku nado iranai_

_(I don't need promises or such things)_

_kimi ga kureta taisetsu na tsuyosa dakara_

_(because of the precious strength that you've given me)_

And with that I finally get it. I get what he's trying to say, I know what he's trying to do.

"Wolf... don't..." But is too late. Hi closes his eyes as a single tear runs down his cheek.

"_Goodbye Yuuri" _

And when he opens them... snake eyes...

~ O ~

I wake up in a jump sweating and gasping for breath. I look out the window and realize it's still night time, maybe two or three in the morning.

What was that? a nightmare? But somehow it felt so real. And it hits me then, the emptiness beside me in this huge bed. Wolfram is not sleep next to me like he should.

I look around trying to find him, but it's too dark and my eyes can't seem to adjust to the lack of light. I get out of the bed and when I'm about to go look for him outside the room the same tune from my dream hits my ears, coming from Wolfram's desk near the balcony.

_Hitomi de ima yobi kakeru _

_(I call out to you now with my eyes)_

_yakusoku nado iranai_

_(I don't need promises or such things)_

As I approach the window my eyes start getting used to the light, but is still not enough, so I use as little control I have over fire to lit one of the candles on the wall. Wolfram's back becomes visible, he's looking out the window.

_**hitomi**_ _de ima te o nobasu_

_(I reach out to you now with __**my eyes**__)_

_samui yoru mo_

_(even in the coldest night)_

He turns around to face me with his eyes closed, such a sad expression on those beautiful lips, but then just like my dream, he opens his eyes and I see them...

Snake eyes...

"Who... are you?"

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><p>Cliff hanger <strong>again.<strong> I'm sorry, they just flow out of me.

This story is nearing its end and it's both thrilling and sad for me. I actually wrote the story up to chapter 25 on the first months of last year, before I even became a member of this site, and I wrote it not even thinking about ever sharing it with anyone, so it has been wonderful to read your comments up to this point! On the other hand it is kinda sad to finish it, I could continue forever, because I love this plot so much, but all things must come to an end right?

Anyway guys, please leave me a review here, I need to know where you want the story to go from here, it's time for Yuuri to make his choice, but is he still on time or is it too late? Is Wolfram lost for good or can Murata and Shinou maybe do something about it?

What do you think?


	29. Chapter 28: Ken's POV

Kind of a "making time" chapter, so sorry! Wanted to update yesterday but I couldn't log in! Was that just me or did any of you had the same problem?

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><p><strong>Chapter 28: Ken's POV<strong>

"We are running out of time" Ulrike suddenly says, she has gotten herself together and she's looking at her divination sphere.

"How much longer?" he asks leaning closer to me.

"Three days at the most"

"This is not good, we need to move, now!" I say already making my way to the door, but Shinou stops me midway.

"What?" I ask annoyed but calm down when I see the worry on his eyes.

"We cannot go there with nothing in our favor. If we go there now, what will we do?" I know, I fucking know he's right, but what does he want me to do? I can't just stand here anymore. I take a few deep breath and walk back, next to the boxes, and sit down.

"Okay then, what exactly do we know about this?" I ask trying to come up with a plan, although there's not really much we can do as things are right now.

"The young man now sleeping next to Yuuri is not my decendant, he carries the eyes of the Mirage tribe" Shinou answers me. We are just voicing the facts we are all aware of by now, but it's about all we can do.

"Is it not too much to assume he is, in fact, the heir of the mirage tribe?" Ulrike has a point there, but I'm sure that body belongs to Wolfram, while the soul in it doesn't.

"However impossible it may seem, the hissing voice we heard obviously belongs to a member of the tribe" Shinou says while seating next to me. "And she referred to the boy as her son"

"This doesn't make any sense" I hold my head between my hands, my headache coming back like a hammer striking my head.

There's a moment of silence, the three of us trying to think of a way this could be possible, maybe we are thinking too much? Can we really be sure that person is not Wolfram?

"Can it had been just a simple dream?" I finally ask, but there's no answer, I didn't needed any anyway. I know things are just not that simple in life, as much as I would like it.

But then a question that seemed to be answered by itself all along makes its way into my head as not such a simple thing anymore. We know Wolfram's body holds someone else's soul at the moment, so we, well at least me, have been assuming Wolfram's soul had to be somewhere else. But what if it's not. We saw Wolfram appear on the dream, so what if...

"What if Wolfram's soul is still on his body too?" I ask and suddenly all eyes are on me.

"If that is the case all we would need to do is remove the foreign soul, if my descendant is still somewhere inside of the body, it would not die because of removing the Mirage soul" it sounds a little redundant but he has a point.

"But if that is true, then why hasn't Lord Bielefeld done something about it? He has a strong soul with powerful majutsu" Ulrike says while calling her divination sphere once again.

"It can very well be a curse. Neither us nor the healers saw any because we were all looking for a different kind of power" I answer "No magic is capable of creating a soul and it is very hard to actually evict a soul from a body, but if we are guessing right and the soul of the actual heir of the Mirage tribe has just been put over the existing soul, it can be possible, very likely actually, with the amount of power they should have" I am quite pleased with this deduction, it seems we are finally getting close to something clear.

"You are as able as always my Sage, however there is something you are overlooking" Clearly I am, if not, I would know what to do by now, I don't say that to Shinou though.

"If this is a curse placed by a member of the Mirage tribe, probably the current ruler judging by what we know so far, there must be a condition, a way of counteract its effect" he says and the wheels in my brain finally start to move like they should.

"If we try to remove the soul by force and fail we may broke the curse's seal and might never be able to get Wolfram back" I say and at the same time Ulrike gasps while looking at her sphere

"What is it Ulrike?" Shinou and I ask at the same time.

"Is Lord von Bielefeld's light... just a while ago it still had a few days of time, but now..."

She needn't say no more. I ask her to go get me a horse and as soon as her childish form leaves the room Shinou takes his miniature form and jumps in my hand, ready to ride along with me, or actually on me.

"What is your plan? We cannot do anything with what we know" he says as I walk outside to find the horse.

"Don't worry, I think I know what the condition is"

As we gallop at full speed in direction of Blood Pledge Castle I pray to the gods we get there in time.

Shibuya... please don't do anything stupid before I get there...

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><p>Okay so this is <strong>not<strong> what I had planned this chapter to be about, **but** I have decided it was impossible to finish the story in just two chapters so don't worry, this is not the beggining of the end, 'cause that would be just depressing, being that this chapter was quite boring in comparison to the rest.

So guys, **leave a comment!** I still haven't decided what would be Yuuri's choice! If I can't decide then I can't write anything from this point on! This would be the time for all of you guys who put this story on your favs to step up and give me a little hand with the plot, pleeease :D

(Sounds a little like: "I won't write if you don't review!" Not my intention at all! I'm just at a loss with the plot)


	30. Chapter 29: Yuuri's POV

I feel like an awful person right now! I left this story in a horrible cliffhanger for over a month after I promised I would be updating every other day... Please don't hate me, I had my reasons that I won't discuss here 'cause there's really no point on doing that.

When I finally sat in front of the computer with all the intention of writing this chapter I actually had to go back and re-read through the entire story (finding many mistakes that I will be correcting in the future), because I frankly forgot what I was doing the moment my eyes were set on the blank screen.

That made me take a little longer than expected to update, but I did manage to update "Guess we still had some fights to come" in the meantime, which brings me to my question: have you had problems with updating lately? it took over twelve hours for the new chapter to actually show up on the site so I was worried cyberspace had eaten my work...

Sorry, that's enough of my ramblings... on with the story!

Remember to leave a review guys :)

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><p><strong>Chapter 29: Yuuri's POV<strong>

"Who... are you?"

He looks at me and tears start running down his cheeks... I don't know what to do, what to think, somehow all the pieces of the puzzle are coming together at a much faster pace than my heart is able to stand. Somewhere deep inside of me I know, I knew something wasn't right, but I'm not ready to face this yet.

"Yuuri I..." he stands up and walks closer to me and I unconsciously take a step back. I don't know why I'm running away, but I can immediately see how much this simple action hurt him as he redraws the hand he was holding up in my direction. For some reason an overwhelming sadness casts a shadow over my heart, I feel his suffering and my heart shrinks.

"I'm so sorry Yuuri, I don't know... I just don't know" he answers me and I try to process this information. He sits back down and covers his face with his hands.

I walk next to him and place a hand on his shuddering shoulder. Even though every cell in my body now knows this person is not who I want him to be, I still...

I need to think and I need to think not as Shibuya Yuuri, but as a Maou. Those eyes that I saw looking back at me...I think they're not actually there, how can I explain this?... somehow it feels much like the aura that was emitted from my body when I used to go Maou mode and started to be able to keep my consciousness through it.

Like a power that does not belong to body that holds it...

So I was right huh? I can't escape this truth anymore can I? The one time I wished to be wrong... This person in front of me... no, this soul in front of me... is not Wolfram.

"You knew this? for how long?" I ask trying to keep a monotone tone of voice, but I can feel the anger and despair taking control of me, even though I feel for this person in front of me, he's not Wolfram.

"I don't know Yuuri.. I wasn't sure... I never meant to..." he stutters in every word. A hundred question go through my head at the same time and the idea of Wolfram actually being dead makes me take a step back, and if that's the case then, is he the killer?

I can feel the marioku actually leaking through my pores. My anger is rising with nowhere to be directed and I can't hold it back anymore.

He stands up and faces me, his tears still coming down uncontrollably.

"Yuuri please listen to me. I don't know who I am, I don't know where Wolfram is or why I have this body but the feelings I have... of those I'm sure." I try my best to listen to his every word clouded by sobs, but something inside of me just cracked, I can't stop this anger.

"Yuuri I love you! Not as Wolfram, but as myself. The time we've shared together, you know that's not a lie! The person who's been beside you, the person you have held in your sleep, that person is me!"

And then I hear it, I can actually hear something breaking inside of me.

My head is spinning. A thousand images go through my mind at the same time while my body gets surrounded by a blue aura that I can't control. I lost control, I can feel it taking over me.

Images of Wolfram fly in front of my eyes. My bratty prince and his fierce attitude. Every fight and every laugh, I remember them all. He has been with me, making sure I'm the best person I can be ever since the beginning. How long did it took me to realize how much he means to me? How much did I made him wait? He doesn't even know that I love him, that I get lost in his emerald eyes and wish to never come back to reality, that I can't live without him. And he has been taken away! I can't forgive this, I can't move on from this...

But...

This person that I've lived with for such a short while, every smile, every gesture, every touch. I know it wasn't a lie, I know his feeling are true. His foolishness and childishness, this cute and adorable stray puppy that held onto me with everything he had got. This gentle soul that lost everything and saw only me, the one I wished to protect so much...

This person that stands before me, surrendered, ready to give his life to me, and whom my body is ready to kill.

Kill... kill... I'm going to kill him, I can't hold back my marioku, it's not listening to me, my body is lifting itself from the ground... I need to stop this!

**I can't stop!**

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><p>Really short chapter, but I'll update soon ;)<p>

Now we're at the moment of truth, if Wolfram body dies, so will his soul, although Yuuri doesn't know this, will he be able to stop before it's too late? Will Murata and Shinou make it in time? Will the author really keep her word and update soon!

(I feel like the narrator after a really old detectives TV series's chapter that is cut in half. All I'm missing is the "Find out in the next chapter of... [pause for dramatic effects] **The two of me!**)


	31. Chapter 30: Ken's POV

As promised, here's chapter 30! In record time ;)

Next chapter will take a little longer, but I think no more than two or three days.

Don't forget to leave a review :D**  
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><p><strong>Chapter 30: Ken's POV<strong>

"Something really bad is about to happen" I say to the miniature man in my front pocket while we enter through the gates of Blood Pledge Castle.

"I can feel it too, my Sage. This amount of negative energy, and with such power..." he answers me, I know what he wants but dares not say, this energy feels much similar to Sousho's, and it's coming from Shibuya.

I jump out of the horse without waiting for the soldiers that are running to help me and dash to the castle's door. Shibuya must have found out about Wolfram and this energy, now I fear the worst possible outcome.

But then, just as I reach the gigantic double doors, I feel, and then see, an explosion of bluish power that goes up to the sky like thunder and blinds us all for a moment.

There's no time to waste, I open the doors and run to the royal chamber. Just when I'm about to get there I run into Lord Weller, Lord von Voltaire and Lord von Christ that are going in the same direction, followed by a handful of soldiers each.

With a strength and a speed I never knew I had, and I do think I don't, I rush and place myself in front of the door to Shibuya's room, blocking the way.

"Geika what...?" before they, I'm not sure which one, are able to finish the question I summon upon myself the aura of the Great Sage.

"Lord Weller, **no one**is allowed to cross this door except me, and **no one**shall come near it until I say otherwise" I can feel Shinou sort of backing me up silently from my pocket.

"But Geika..." Lord Weller protest, obviously worried for his nephew, I'm sorry Lord Weller, but I have no time to explain this situation right now.

"I gave an order, Lord Weller, not a suggestion" I say and sostein their gazed one by one.

"Yes, your Excellency"

They walk away reluctantly and filled with worry, but at this moment nothing matters, only what is behind this door. I can feel the powerful energy still being emitted from inside and just bringing myself to touch the doorknob becomes almost painful.

"This is it..." I say and open the door in one single movement.

For a moment a shining bluish light blinds me and an enormous amount of power goes through me, Shinou rapidly puts a shield around us and I can finally see the picture in front of my eyes.

At my left, on the floor and on his knees is Wolfram, or his body at least. He's crying so hard he's not even bothered by our presence, his eyes are fixated on the sight in front of him.

Shibuya is suspended on the air and his eyes are blank, his head is slightly thrown back and his marioku is flowing out of him without control.

"Shibuya!" I yell at him but I get no response, instead Wolfram seems to have acknowledged our existence and gets up.

"What happened?" I ask, no, I demand for him to answer me.

"I... don't know. I thought he was going to kill me, but then, when the power was coming at me..." oh Shinou... now I get it.

"He redirected it towards himself" I finish his phrase for him and he nods as a response.

"Is just like the second duel he had with Wolfram, he had already let his emotion take control over him and he couldn't hold back his marioku, so he chose to hurt himself rather than you" I say and take notice of the beat up state Shibuya's body is in, he has bruises all over and he's obviously exhausted and desperately trying to take back control of himself. We won't know the extent of the damage until we consult a healer, but I can feel him weakening.

"You... you know I'm not..." _he_moves closer to me and looks at me somehow, hopefully? Well, if the dream was a true mirror of reality he has been suffering over this matter also, so he probably wants someone to put an end to it, even if it means he will have to keep suffering from now on.

"Yes, we know you are not Wolfram von Bielefeld, although this is, in fact his body" Shinou answers him for me in a this-is-my-decedent's-body-you-rascal tone, and not without reason, but now is not the time to be bickering about what body belongs to whom. Although I _was_starting to get worried about how quiet Shinou has been since we got here... now I'm the one wasting time!

"We have no time no waste on that right now! We need to stop Shibuya before he really kills himself" I say and they stop their arguing to look at me. Not-Wolfram's eyes widen to all their extent for a moment of realization of the state things are right now.

Then I see it... the purple snake eyes, a shadow of their energy to be more precise, reflected on his eyes for just a fleeting second. Could this be what Shibuya saw? But if that is the case and he found out that this is not the real Wolfram, it still isn't enough reason to go completely berserk like this, unless...

"He thinks you killed him?" I ask bluntly.

"I don't know..."

"Did you... kill him?" he look at me with a mixture of despair and guilt, he wants to say no, but maybe he's not even sure himself.

"If you knew about this, why didn't you do something!" he's close to tears again, is really weird seeing Wolfram's face so easily changing from one emotion to the other so freely.

"Why didn't you?" I ask back and he clenches his teeth fighting between anger and sadness maybe.

"I wasn't sure" he finally answers.

"Well, neither were we" I say and fixing my glasses up the bridge of my nose looking at Shibuya and trying to think of a way of stopping this maddening stupidity he's right now doing to himself. However, no matter how many times I try it, I cannot establish a mental connection with him. We are running out of options and time.

"The only one that can bring him back to his senses right now is Wolfram... or maybe you" I finally say as calmly as I can. We really have no choice but to try, if we don't stop this now we will lose both of them, and as much as Yuuri would hate me for this, protecting his life is my one and only priority, no matter who has to be sacrificed in the process, that is what I was born to do after all.

"I'll do anything! Just tell me what to do!" he says and approaches Shibuya, which is not an easy task considering the threatening waves of marioku around him. A feel a sting going through my heart and I flinch a little, not visible to him though. Whether this person is responsible for Wolfram's soul being trapped or not, one thing's for sure...

"He loves him" Shinou says reading my mind. I suddenly feel sorry for this poor, clearly in love soul in front of us. Was he willing to let Shibuya kill him all along?

I'm about to give instructions to not-Wolfram when Shinou suddenly takes his full form beside me. His eyes are narrowed in concentration and soon I feel the reason why.

Hissing.

The same energy we felt in the dream is approaching us right now. Through the windows and the door I can see the same purple smoke we saw when we rescued Wolfram from the Bielfeld lands, slowly filling the room.

"Show yourselves!" Shinou demands and we stand guard, ready for the room to be filled with men, but the figure the smoke forms is different from what we'd expected.

A slender and tall woman stands in front of us, she wears a long and tight black dress, contrasted with white pale skin. Her hair is black... even for her tribe, that is a really uncommon and dangerous sign of power in this world, and something to be very worried about, when the person you're facing is an enemy. She slowly opens her eyes and looks directly at us.

"Mirage, I suppose?" I ask in a sarcastically polite manner. She lets out an evil chuckle and begins walking in our direction, humming a tune that sounds really familiar somehow.

Her voice echoes like a serpent hissing through the room and rings on my ears making me feel like they will crack. I can't move...

"I have no business with you Soukoku, I've come here to take back my son"

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><p>So... how is it guys? Like it, hate it? No flames please ;)<p>

**blackirishawk: **yeah, Yuuri is a peaceful boy, but remember he has a really short temper. He gets angry easily and often gets carried away by his emotions when he sees injustice, especially when he sees someone is being hurt, so I thought he would probably go berserk if someone were to hurt his precious Wolf, don´t you think? *-*

But at the same time he would never be able to hurt anyone, hence the hurting himself thing.

**Pikeebo: **I was getting tired of the pace myself so I thought what the hell and just went all out with last chapter. The problem is, since I need to change POVs so often for the story to make sense, chapters are going to get really short from now on, but I hope I can keep up this pace so the story doesn't get boring again! And about Mirage's son soul, well, wait 'till next chapter to find out ;)

**SheWhoIsPowerful: **so sorry that you didn't like it! Like I said before, I need to change POVs too often, hence the really short (hopefully not boring) chapters, this one was a little longer so I hope you enjoyed it :)


	32. Chapter 31: Yuuri's POV

Ok, so I completely banished for who knows how long. Those of you who have read my profile lately know my reasons and I'm not gonna waste your time on explanations. On with the story ;)

R&R guys!

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><p><strong>Chapter 31: Yuuri's POV<strong>

_Where am I? _

I wake up suddenly and find myself floating in a dark space. Black as far as the eye can see and the sound of water is all I can distinguish.

But this feeling I'm getting... even though I can't see anything, I feel like I've been here before, I feel like there's a warmth here that I can recognize, somehow, as my own.

For a moment just now I lost control, but I pretty sure I was able to hold back just in time, so what is this?

I must be inside of my mind... or my heart again.

I don't understand why this keeps happening to me, I could never hurt anyone, I believe that everything can be solved by talking, I really do... why do I keep losing control like this...

"_Water is a tricky element Yuuri, sometimes I can be as calm a peaceful lake, others it can have the fury of the ocean during a storm. That is a part of who you are" _A voice echoes around me, that voice...

"Wolf!" I shout out but I get no answer and the sound of water around me becomes clearer and stronger.

"_You can't continue like this. Even the Maou's marioku has a limit Yuuri" _the voice, Wolfram's voice sounds so calm that it's exasperating. If he's Wolf, if he's still alive that's all that matters, that's all I need to know, I don't care what happens to me.

"_That's not true. Your life is what matters the most, you know that" _I hate it when he does that, talking to me as a soldier to the king... He's the only one who's always treated me like a normal person, with all my flaws and my wimpyness...

Suddenly I feel something warm around me, somehow I can feel Wolfram smiling, it's calming and sad at once... I doesn't make any sense.

"_Look at them Yuuri..." _I close my eyes and the image of my room slowly appears in front of me. At first I can't really distinguish any of the faces, but then the figure right in front of me becomes clear. It's Wolfram... no, it's not the real Wolfram. He's on his knees crying so hard it breaks my heart.

"_I know you didn't mean to hurt him. It's not his fault and you know it, you can feel it" _Wolfram's voice again, echoing right through my head.** "**_You fell for those puppy eyes while thinking he was me, didn't you?" _he asks and I wince. It's not like that! Not entirely at least... I still, for Wolf I still...

"Save him" he says and his voice, his presence goes away.

"...ya... buya... Shibuya!" Murata's voice. I can hear it coming from somewhere far away, but I can't answer. My vision gets blurred and I feel my body strength is fading. This is bad, now I realize what's going on, where I am, but I can't control my own body.

I can't see them, but I can sense them, Murata and Shinou are the ones calling for me, but the waves around me are hurting them, they can't come any closer and that boy, he's looking right at me..

"I'll do anything! Just tell me what to do!" he says and walks closer to me. How... why is he doing this? I don't want to hurt him but I can't control my marioku, why isn't Murata stopping him?

Hissing... The room is hissing... I recognize this energy, is the same as in the Bielefeld lands.

"Show yourselves!" Shinou shouts from somewhere at my right.

I can see the same purple smoke we saw that time gathering in front of me and slowly forming the figure of a person, a woman, tall and thin. Her hair is black and her skin is really pale, that's something I'm really used to seeing in Japan, but here... can it be another soukoku?

She opens her eyes and I see that's not the case, but those eyes, snake eyes... just like the ones I saw in my dream... fake Wolfram's eyes.

"Mirage, I suppose?" Murata asks her in a weirdly polite way. He knows who she is? How long has he known? Did he know about Wolfram too?

"I have no business with you Soukoku, I've come here to take back my son"

Her... son?

I open my eyes and I'm back in the darkness. I clench my fists and the anger starts to take over me again. This are the people that hurt Wolfram, here right in front of me... If I could only...

"_No!" _Wolfram's voice again, that demanding tone sound much more like him, I smile for myself

"_Find the peace inside of you Yuuri, find that calm lake"_

Peace, but where?

"_Find it, and then you'll find me"_

Then everything becomes white.

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><p>Short chapter, cliffhanger, I know, I know, don't kill me. As you probably already realize, I've posted up to chapter 33 (figured I'd owed you at least that ), so the story doesn't stop here.<strong><br>**The chapter are this short because of the POV changes.A WARNING though, chapters 31 to 33 are not revised, so please bear with any mistakes I might have made. I wanted to post them before I get caught up with college and work again. I will come back to them eventually and correct any errors, just not now. If you wanna point out the mistakes for me I'd appreciate it, just no flames please ;)PS: I'll be responding to reviews made by site members by PM from now on.


	33. Chapter 32: Ken's POV

WARNING: chapters 31 to 33 are not revised, so please bear with any mistakes I might have made.

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><p><strong>Chapter 32: Ken's POV<strong>

"I have no business with you Soukoku, I've come here to take back my son"

Her what now? Okay, that makes sense somehow, we knew she couldn't have created a soul from scratch to put on Wolfram's body... but her own son's? That's a bit heartless, even for a vengeance driven soul.

I look over to not-Wolfram and I see in his face the same, probably more, amount of surprise. He really had no idea of who he is, a real stray puppy, just as I thought.

"Witch, are you implying that this is your son?" Shinou asks while signaling not-Wolfram to come closer to us, but when he is about to move and Mirage is about to answer, a strong marioku pins us all to the ground, while the room is suddenly filled with a white blinding light.

For a moment I feel as though a train has just run me over, but I straighten up as calmly as I can trying to get my sight accustomed to the normal light again.

"Yuuri!" I hear not-Wolfram screaming and running footsteps in Shibuya's direction. When I finally manage to see clearly again I see Shibuya on his knees on the ground with not-Wolfram by his side.

I rush over to him and get down on one knee to help him stand.

"Shibuya, are you okay!" I ask and he finally looks up. His face is a little bruised up and he has a cut below his right eye, who knows how is the rest of his body, but his clothes have cuts all over. His eyes look tired, but mostly sad.

"Shibuya..."

"Don't worry" he says "I'm fine" that's a lie. I take a pause and together with not-Wolfram, we manage to help him back on his feet.

But the relief doesn't last long.

"How endearing, the come back of the wounded King" Mirage has recovered from the marioku wave and seems to be completely unharmed. Shibuya looks at the blond by his side, he's trembling slightly and looking at his mother with horror"

"Who are you!" Shibuya demands and takes a step forward, leaving our support behind.

"Oh, excuse me Heika, we have not been properly introduced" She says sarcastically. "My name is Mirage, and I am the ruler of the tribe your predecessor slaughtered"

Black and green eyes widen with surprise, Shibuya must be starting to understand, but not-Wolfram... he seems to be more and more confused.

"Did you kill my fiance?" Shibuya asks taking another step forward.

"Of course not Heika, what would be the fun in that?" I'm really starting to hate this woman "The one killing him right now is **you****" **

Oh crap...

Shibuya's body wavers upon hearing that. I look back and find Shinou's gaze connecting with mine. This isn't exactly good news, but at least now we can be sure of what we've been suspecting all along. This is a curse, and the one, the only one who can break it is Shibuya.

"Then tell me, young Maou, what will you do now? Will you save your beloved?" she asks in an awfully calm tone. I have a bad feeling about this.

"What kind of a question is that! Of course I will!" Shibuya answers without thinking it twice.

"Very well then, all you have to do to get your fiance back..."

She pauses and looks at not-Wolfram who is half hiding behind me, I turn back and see how his eyes widen to all their extent for a moment before completely losing any trace of green and becoming like the ones of his mother, he seems to be in some sort of trance. Then he's lifted from his feet and floats above us to stop at Mirage's side. She smiles and looks back on Shibuya's direction.

"... is kill my son"

I knew it...

Shibuya doesn't move a muscle, is like he's frozen on the spot trying to understand what just happened.

"You have an hour to ponder over it as much as you need Heika, or I will make this decision for you" She laughs for herself and disappears along with her son in Wolfram's body.

The last thing we can see before they're completely gone is a tear falling down not-Wolfram's cheek.

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><p>This "not-Wolfram" thing would sound so much better in japanese<p> 


	34. Chapter 33: Yuuri's POV

WARNING: chapters 31 to 33 are not revised, so please bear with any mistakes I might have made.

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><p><strong>Chapter 33: Yuuri's POV<strong>

"How could she just vanish like that right under our noses!" I ask Murata who seems to be pondering about the same thing. This castle is supposed to be protected by the blood covenant right? hence the name... Either she's just really powerful, even more than us, or something is very, very wrong.

It seems only five minutes ago we were standing dumbfounded on my room but half an hour has already passed and we, no... I have only half the time to decide now. It took this long for us all to regather ourselves and move to the conference room. For a split second Murata tried to convince me to see a healer but I believe it's pretty obvious we don't have time for that right now.

Apparently everyone else in the castle has been ordered by Murata to stay the hell away from us, and thank god for that, I don't think I could handle much more than what's already on my plate.

"I'm not really sure about the specifics Shibuya, and I don't think we can afford to take the time to figure it out" He's right about that, although once this is over I have a lot to ask both of them.

"Fine, I agree. But I need you two to tell me what you know, I don't need the details, but at least I need to know what we're up against" I say and take a few calming breaths, trying to remind myself not to get pist because of the obvious amount of information they have been keeping from me

"For several reasons which are too long to explain now, Wolfram is the perfect target for Mirage's wrath. That woman wants my decedent dead and is clear now that she has no restraint. To put her own son's life at stake..." Shinou trails off and looks at Murata who's lost in thought.

"How is that even possible?" If I'm getting this right, the person who has been beside me all this time wasn't Wolf at all, but wouldn't we have noticed it? I specially...

"It's a curse" Murata answer me and pauses for a moment, probably trying to put the words in order in his head. "The Mirage tribe possessed a power much different from ours, similar to witches on Earth. The thing with this kind of magic is that it always comes with a price, the higher the price, the more powerful the curse." he looks down and I can't see his expression anymore.

"So she sacrificed her son's life" Shinou continues "in order to be able to replace Wolfram's soul with his"

Replace? Time goes by and I feel as though I understand less and less. All I want to know is...

"Don't worry, Wolfram is not dead" Murata says like reading my mind. "Not yet at least. You see Shibuya, every curse has a condition, some sort of emergency clause to break it if necessary. In this case the responsibility falls on you. If you chose to kill Mirage's son soul, Wolfram will come back to normal, and if you chose to save him, Wolfram will die"

My heart stops... is this really the only way? The person I knew this past few months... he is not a bad person, he doesn't deserve to die and I... for him... I'm not even sure anymore. All I know is that Wolfram's life is the most important thing in the world to me.

Only ten minutes until the time's out.

"Is there no other way?" I ask , already knowing the answer by looking at Murata's expression.

"Maybe, but we don't have enough time to figure it out. Lord von Bielefeld's soul is running out of time Shibuya, that must be the reason Mirage showed up. If his soul dies before you choose, both of them will die along with the body they have as vessel"

"So this is all my fault. For not noticing before?" How could I not notice that he wasn't the person I love.

"Deep down you knew Shibuya, you just didn't wanted to believe it, right?" Murata puts his hand on my shoulder, he's not trying to scold me for some reason he looks like he pities me for having to make this choice. I still feel like shit though. Is there no way of recovering Wolf without having to kill anyone... Wolf told me to save this other person right? Does he rather die then?

Suddenly we feel that presence again, getting closer and closer. Time's up.

The same slim figure from before starts to materialise in front of us, also blocking the way to the door. I have to hold myself back not to jump and punch her in the face. The simple reaction of my body going forwards hurts. I'm not really sure how badly injured I am right now, but adrenaline is taking charge of keeping me on my feet for now.

"Greeting Heika, I assume you had enough time to ponder over your options. Have you decided?" Her tone is exasperating. She's wasting no time, uh?. Well, neither am I, not anymore.

Shinou, Murata and I stand at the same time. Slowly, solemnly, not showing the true desperation we must all be feeling, I doubt it's just me.

I've decided... I'll save Wolfram...

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><p>Ok, so this is how far I've gotten in writing but on my very long absence I finally figured out how I'm gonna end this story. Just a couple of chapters left and we'll see this story to its end :(<br>Again, I am aware of how short this chapters are, it's only because I need to change POVs too often for the whole thing to make sense and I don't want to put more than one POV per chapter.

Leave me a review guys ;)


	35. Chapter 34: Ken's POV

Hi guys, I wanted to thank you all for your reviews, favorites and such. I hadn't open the email account I have for this site since I last updated (chapter 30) and when I did, a few days ago, I found over 400 emails waiting for me! It really felt great to know you were still reading my stories while I solved my personal situation and I loved reading your reviews.

As I said before, from now on I'll be responding to reviews made by site members via PM and only respond to anonymous reviewers on the upcoming chapters. As for the reviews I received while on "break" I won't be answering those, so sorry about that! but I got really confused with all those emails so I don't want to answer to just some and forget the others along the way.

Ok! I won't bore you anymore, on with the story and don't forget to review!

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><p><strong>Chapter 34: Ken's POV<strong>

"Greeting Heika, I assume you had enough time to ponder over your options. Have you decided?" Mirage says as the three of us slowly raise from our seats. In this kind of situation one must never show weakness or hastiness, and I'm quite proud Shibuya seems to have remembered that.

As I stand I take a short look at him. If I didn't knew he doesn't do that anymore I'd swear he's gone Maou mode. I would feel reassured by this stern look if I didn't know on the inside his heart has split in two.

"Where is he?" Shibuya asks, no, he demands of the witch. Even though Shibuya used a lot of marioku just a little while ago his aura is quite threatening right now, and considering me and Shinou, one at each side of Shibuya, don't stay behind on the threatening aura thing, it's actually really impressive, if not damn right scary, that this woman is able to stand so proudly in front of us.

"Who Heika, are you asking for? Your beloved or my son?" She asks sarcastically. If I'm right, she has been watching through her son's eyes this whole time and, as well as I did, she noticed how Shibuya fell for the stray puppy like Wolfram, knowing deep inside that the person in front of him wasn't his fiance. So she's confident, and maybe she's right to be, I'm not sure myself anymore.

"Don't mock me witch, I don't have the costume to kill, but you have gone too far to be forgiven"

Wow... Maou mode much... this does not look good. Mirage winces almost imperceptibly before smiling with renewed confidence and snapping her fingers. Wolfram's body appears beside her, he's unconscious... whoever he is.

Shibuya takes a deep short breath almost losing his composure and his valance along with it. Is goes by Mirage, but Shinou quickly provides Shibuya with a little of his energy, probably worried by the same thing I am. Shibuya is badly injured and even the Maou's power has its limits, if he decides to go up against Mirage, he may end up killing himself.

"What have you decided Maou Heika? She asks and draws the floating unconscious body closer to her. "Will you spare my son's life at the cost of your fiance's?" She adds while lifting the blonde's head with her index finger.

"How could you put your own son's life in danger in this stupid bet!" I can practically hear Shibuya's patience starting to snap. "Because that is what you have done, you bet I would choose him over Wolfram knowing the odds were against it! Don't you care for his life at all?"

Mirage chuckles a little before descending into the ground herself. She's so tall I just noticed she was floating when her feet touch the ground. She takes a few steps closer to the opposite side of the table we were sitting around. Shinou and I step forwards instinctively to place ourselves between Shibuya and her, but Shibuya stops us with a wave of marioku.

"And why do you care about his life Heika?" Whenever she says the word 'heika' with that sarcastic tone I feel an urgent need to punch her, on the pit of my stomach.

"Every life, human, mazoku or whatever else, is equally worthy to me" It amazes me how much Shibuya's tone changes when he says those words. He's still obviously furious, but there a slight touch of the original big hearted idiot who first came into this world in those words, because they are true and they come from his heart.

Mirage's face changes expressions about twenty times in a split second upon hearing this. Disbelief, doubt, disgust, all possible emotion has a moment in her factions before the vengeful one is back on.

"Do you think I would fall for that sort of lie? You Maou are the same as your predecessors" And with that her eyes fall on Shinou who, of course, shrugs it off with not a hint of guilt on his face, which of course doesn't help the situation at all.

I don't blame her for not believing Shibuya might be any different from the ones before him, not that _all of them _were that terrible... not _all of them..._

"Who are you to judge me for my actions when you are the ones who forced my people to hide for over a century after nearly killing us all!"

Okay, Mirage officially lost her cool, that could work on our advantage if only this wasn't the first time Shibuya hears this. His face is pale and even though his firm expression hasn't change Shinou and I know what happening inside his head. I wish we had the time to explain the whole story to him, but we need to think of a faster way to get the attention off of the fact that we may have caused the slaughter of this woman entire tribe. It sounds even worse now, crap.

"What is it that you want the Maou to do exactly?" Shinou asks stepping closer to the woman. You'd think being dead makes him that overconfident, but that's just him.

"All he has to say is say the words" She says, not moving away from him at all. Apparently she, also, has no regards for her own safety.

"And what do you gain from this? The outcome should be pretty obvious to you by now" he says with false certainty.

Well I could answer that for her. She wants to destroy Shibuya's and Wolfram's relationship along with breaking their spirits in the process, something she might have already accomplished. Who knows how this will affect the kingdom too, all in all, her plan is pretty good, either way she gets what she wants.

"My reasons are my bussiness ghost" She really has guts. "Now Heika, your time is up, either you decide now, or you'll lose them both"

She's right, Ulrike warned us about it, Mirage actually hasn't got the power to end her own curse, only Shibuya can, but Wolfram's soul is dying and with it so will his body.

"I..." Shibuya pauses and takes a deep breath before opening up his mouth again, his eyes full of determination, but then...

"What.. !" Mirage looks back at the floating unconscious body behind her which is now... glowing? This energy, I recognize it after a second, is Wolfram's, the real thing I mean.

His body glows with a warm golden light that reminds me of Shinou a little and makes my stomach feel a bit tingly for a second. As embarrassing as it sounds.

Shinou, Shibuya and I exchange a few dumbfounded looks before noticing Mirage is slowly making her way to Wolfram.

Shibuya steps up and just before he tries to run and catch the blond before her, the calming warmth becomes excruciatingly hot.

The next thing I know is that I can't see. A blinding light, maybe an explosion?

Oh shit... something just blew up...

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><p>Well, how was it? I'm feeling pretty good about this chapter, mostly because it's the longest one in a while and I feel like I managed to reconnect with the story.<p>

Don't hesitate to leave a comment ;)


	36. Chapter 35: Yuuri's POV

Hi guys, only one more chapter left to end this story.

Don't forget to leave a review :)

WARNING: unrevised, pointing out of grammatical and spelling mistakes is appreciated.

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><p><strong>Chapter 35: Yuuri's POV<strong>

All this time, since I found Wolf lying lifeless on that dungeon I've known, on some level I suspected it from the beginning... that something wasn't right. And when it became more and more obvious I just sat there and let it pass by.

Now I wonder why. I guess part of me just didn't wanted to believe there was a possibility of losing Wolfram for good; even if what was in front of me wasn't the real thing, it was better than nothing.

But I have to be honest, at least with myself, and the truth is I did came to like the fake Wolfram, I'm just not sure in exactly what way.

I love the fiery and uncontrollable side of Wolf, but it is something I grew to love with time and not little effort. Fake Wolfram would just let me take the wheel, he would let me protect him and let himself be vulnerable in front of me...

"And yet you were still going to save me, weren't you?" Is that Wolfram's voice!

"Where...? What...?" I ask to no one in particular, trying to figure out what just happened.

Yes, I was going to save Wolfram, I was going to choose him, because I love him, and that is what matters the most.

But then what happened? I remember a light and being really really hot.

I open my eyes after several failed attempts. Something here, wherever this is, is shining right in front of my eyes. A golden, warm and bright light, too bright to stand looking at it directly.

My sensed slowly recover from their numbness and the smell of sunflowers reaches me like a gentle slap on the face.

"Wolf?" I ask looking at the feet of the person in front of me. Everything else seems to have disappeared, I'm not sure I'm still in the conference room, but if I am, everyone else is gone.

"Yes, wimp?"

Wimp? He just called me a wimp, right? That means... it has to be... I blink a few times trying to convince myself I'm not just imagining things and look up slowly.

Suddenly my gaze meets two emerald eyes that look at me lovingly, but with a little scold written in between the lines. That look, those eyes filled with fire...

"Wolf... tell me this isn't a dream..." I plead as the tears start falling down my cheeks. I want to take a step forwards, I want to hold him in my arms, but I don't dare to move a muscle. If this isn't real, I don't know if I'd be able to handle it.

"Yuuri, tell me, what were you going to say?" he asks leaning towards me and cupping my left cheek with his hand, wiping away my tears with his thumb. The contact feels so real, so warm, I take his hand with mine and let myself smile, not really caring about what he just said. He's here, alive, right here in front of me.

"Yuuri..." he tries to call my attention to him, and to what he's trying to say. I have a bad feeling about this.

"I was going to pick you!" I say and hold him close to me. "I don't know what happened or how to get back, but I **will **save you Wolf, whatever I have to do is fine with me" I step back to look at him and see he's smiling at me, a sad smile somehow.

"Wolf, I meant to tell you this sooner, but somehow it never seemed like the right time and I wanted, I mean... whatever, it doesn't matter anymore"

"I love you, Wolf" there, I said it.

Wolfram looks at me and smiles, but for some reason I feel as if the air has just become colder and his eyes seem so sad somehow... Wait... he can't be thinking...

"I know, Yuuri, I know" he says and takes a few more steps back. "I love you too, and for that I cannot let you make this choice. I can't let you kill him"

What? Then I wasn't wrong, back then Wolf really told me to save the fake him? Even is that kills him... doesn't he know how important he is, to me, to everyone? That I couldn't go on without him...

"Wolf, what are you talking about? I love you, don't you get it!" the tears start falling again. Frustration, sadness, I'm not even sure what brought them back.

"Yuuri, could you live with yourself knowing you were the one who killed him? An innocent boy who trusted you with his life, and who you came to like?"

So he knew?

"I... I..." Oh God, I can't even say it. I don't know... probably not... but I still...

"I love you Yuuri, the wimpy, goofy, big hearted Maou that makes friend too easily and who's too kind to hurt anyone if he can help it" he says and his eyes become a bit glassy.

"That is why I won't let you make this choice, wimp. I don't want you to change, and killing him will change you" Change... well, maybe but who cares?

Suddenly everything around me starts to get blurry and the warmth starts to fade away. I can see Wolfram's figure getting further away.

"Oh no! You are NOT doing this to me!" I shout running with a speed I really didn't knew I had, it actually feels as if I just made the distance between us shorter instead of actually moving

I grab Wolfram by the shoulders and make him look at me.

"You are not going to leave me, do you hear me? I love you Wolf! I won't let you go!"

I think I'm shaking him a little, but I really don't care, and apparently, neither does he. For the first time in who knows how long I see a smile forming on his lips, one of those rare ones Wolf only gives when he thinks the world isn't looking, with single tear falling down his right cheek.

So maybe he didn't wanted to leave me, maybe there's a solution for all of this, maybe...

Oh crap, who cares! Right now I just...

I grab his thin waist and he hesitantly wraps his arms around my shoulders. My heart is beating so fast I feel like I can't breathe. Our eyes locked together as I slowly close the distance between us.

Maybe this is not how I imagined this moment would be... But nothing else matters in the world, nothing aside from this soft, pink lips in front of me.

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><p>As I said, next will be the longest and last chapter. It's a bit sad to say goodbye to this story, but I really need to get it over with soon, before my relationship with it shifts from love to hate.<p>

Don't forget to review, it inspires me :D


	37. Chapter 36: Ken's POV

Last chapter guys, don't forget to leave a review and read the A/N at the end :D  
>.<p>

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><p><strong>Chapter<strong>** 36: ****Ken****'****s****POV**

"_Ken__, __can __you __hear __me__?" _I hear Shinou's voice inside of my head. Slowly opening my eyes, strongly shut after the explosion, if that's what it was anyway, I try to recognize my surroundings. I'm lying on the floor, a few feet back from where I was standing just a second ago, before whatever it was, blew up. My back hurts a little, but I'm not injured, I think.

"_Where __are __you__?" _I ask back after realizing Shinou isn't in the room anymore and trying to stand up.

"_I __used __too __much __power __defending __us __from __the __explosion__. __I __can__'__t __take __a __physical __form __for __the __moment__." _ Well, that was to be expected after tonight.

I grab my glasses from the spot on the floor on which they landed, a few steps to the right and, thank god, unharmed. Now, with a much clearer view, I can actually tell the amount of damage made, most of all, to the room's furniture. This room is going to need some serious reparations before the next ten nobles meeting.

I make my way through the debris that used to be the great table and find what I had been looking for since I regained consciousness.

"Shibuya!" I practically scream seeing his body on the ground, right next to Wolfram's, both unconscious and facing each other. Receiving no response I rush over to their side and try to kneel next to Shibuya, only to find a magic shield that pushes me back.

Regaining my balance I look around and see no trace of the witch.

"_They __are __alive__" _Shinou says with an unsure voice, something very uncharacteristic for him, even when he knows only I can hear him. I take a deep breath and take a seat on what, ironically, used to be chair, now only a square-ish piece of wood. I rest my elbows in my knees and my chin in my hands. The dim light of the only candle still lit on the wall makes my glasses gleam hiding my eyes.

Once more, sadly, all I can do is sit back and watch.

"_Don__'__t __be __discouraged __my __Sage__, __we __can__'__t __say __much __but __at __least __we __can __be __sure __the __Mirage __witch __is __gone__. __Whatever __is __blocking __us __comes __from __another __source__." _By we I assume he's talking about him and Ulrike, who must have been watching this entire show with her divination sphere all along.

Although that is, in fact, good news at first glance, I'm really not sure we want Mirage gone right now. There are only two possible options, considering her surprise at the time of the explosion, which seemed genuine to me, and I hardly make mistakes with this kinds of things. That means she didn't caused it, and didn't saw it coming either.

So she either escaped or died.

If she escaped, she might come back at any second and our royal couple isn't exactly prepared to greet her right now.

And if she died... there's the possibility that we might never be able to reverse her curse...

In short, if they don't wake up soon, we're screwed either way.

Suddenly I hear a loud thump coming from the door. It doesn't make sense, we protected this room with a majutsu barrier, but Mirage could come in if she wanted since she should be inmune to that kind of protection, that can only mean...

"_They __are __going __to __break __the __seal__" _

Shinou's warning proves to be pointless since the doors burst open before he finishes speaking. I slowly look up to met their horrified expressions.

No one but Conrad Weller and Gwendal von Voltaire stand at the other side of the open door with unsheathed swords, and between me and them lie the bodies of their Maou and of their brother.

Behind them, near the opposite wall of the hallway is Lord von Christ, apparently tired from using his marioku to break our seal. Even with our minds elsewhere, it is a great accomplishment to break a seal made by Shinou and the Daikenja. He's sweating quite a bit and seems to be having some trouble keeping his balance.

However, even with his weakened state, his gaze is strongly fixated in me, like the ones of the two in front of him. To say that their eyes scream bloody murder would be an understatement at this point.

Lord Weller is the first one to react and he rushes over to Shibuya's side, only to be rejected by the shield, just like I was.

"What is the meaning of this!" Lord von Voltaire demands an answer, from me, of course. Meanwhile Lord von Christ manages to get himself to the door frame and he uses it for support.

"They are alive" I say calmly as I stand up and come as close as I can to the unconscious couple without being pushed back. I know my answer is not what they are looking for, and it's not very reassuring either, but all I can do right now is state the facts I'm aware of.

"What happened?" Lord Weller asks with a tone much calmer than his brother's, but I can tell he's still pondering about disemboweling me where I stand. This sure brings back some memories from the forbidden boxes ordeal.

"Right now is not the time for explanations Lord Weller, I'm sorry" I might not sound really sorry, but I am. Somehow I think we could have prevented this if we had acted sooner, although logically I know that's not true.

The three of them exchange a couple of worried looks. Lord von Christ seems to be slowly recovering his strengths, but he remains safely leaning against the door frame. I can imagine what they're thinking. This scene makes absolutely no sense to them.

"All I can say" I continue " is that they are alive and all we can do is wait" I turn around and go back to the position I was before the door opened, to the astonishment of the three.

I know it may seem as if I didn't care at all for what is happening, even though I'm actually worried for Shibuya's and Wolfram's safety. I'm not trying to be cryptic or secretive either, this is just how I react in front of this sort of situation. You could say that calm and composure are the biggest strengths of a strategist, but sadly all a strategist can do once the pieces of the game are in movement, is wait and watch.

"But Geika, wh...!" Lord von Voltaire stops short noticing, along with the rest of us, a weak light coming from the space between Shibuya and Wolfram, just in the middle, around their waists level. It's really weak but since most of the candles in the room blew along with the rest of the furniture, it's easy to see.

The discussion comes to a pause, accompanied by everyone's desired to murder me apparently, as we all walk as close as possible to the two bodies on the floor.

The light becomes brighter and brighter and it starts to slowly take form in a way only me and Lord Weller would recognize.

"A... soul?" he asks voicing my thoughts exactly. Lord von Voltaire and von Christ turn pale at the thought of the small shining sphere being the soul of either Wolfram or Shibuya. The thought crossed my mind too, probably Wolfram's soul, considering what I know and they don't. But then I notice the small white sphere has some sort of purple halo around it.

I take half a step back in disbelief earning the looks of all the awake people in the room.

"It can't be... " I whisper to myself and notice Shibuya shifting a little from his original position.

"Shibuya!"

"Heika!"

"Yuuri!"

We all scream at the same time, running in his direction, forgetting about the shield that this time, doesn't stop us. Lord Weller is the first to reach him and he holds Shibuya in a sitting position as he slowly regains consciousness.

"Wh..." Shibuya mumbles blinking heavily, like he just woke up from a very pleasant dream. I can't help but smile at this childish gesture. Shibuya will always be Shibuya uh? No matter the situation or what might fall upon him. That reassures me a little, seeing Wolfram shows no sign of waking up and the small sphere we saw before still floats beside him.

"She's gone, Shibuya" I say when he looks at me with renewed concern once fully awake. "As for Lord von Bielefeld..." I trail off looking at the body still lifeless on the floor.

Shibuya quickly assures the worried Lord Weller that he's fine and rushes over to Wolfram's side, holding him up in a way very much alike how he was being held just a moment ago.

"Wolf, come on, wake up" he says carefully straighting up Wolfram's hair. "I told you, I won't let you leave me..." he says, his voice cracking in the last few words.

This is a very painful scene to watch, for me as well as for the others. The elder brothers look down and put away their swords while Lord von Christ, who's not able to stand properly yet, looks away, probably unable to take the sight.

Then, something we weren't really expecting happens. Shibuya, who's now crying silently, kisses Wolfram. A real, long kiss. None of us has time to react when Wolfram slowly opens his eyes.

Sighs of relief and heard all across the room, including me, realizing I was holding my breath since I have no idea when.

But the joy doesn't last long, not for me and Shibuya at least. We know this could very well not be Wolfram. I notice Lord von Voltaire and Weller are about to approach the couple and stop them with a hand gesture. They look at me doubtingly but I look away from them and to the blond.

"Wolf... tell me you are Wolf..." Shibuya says hesitantly to the half awake man in his arms. I hold my breath once again, everyone else clueless as to what that question means.

"Of course it's me, wimp" Oh thank God, it's him! I can see Shibuya's face lighting up in pure glee as he holds Wolfram to him like there was no tomorrow and kisses him once again.

Lord von Voltaire's relieved expression starts to turn into a frown as his obvious brother complex reacts to the scene, Lord von Christ cries out of his majesty with restrained energy, thanks to his weakened body, and thank god, while Lord Weller limits himself to smile.

As for me, I just breathe, for the first time in what seems like a much longer time that it actually was, I breathe calmly once more. We still have a few things to worry about, but for now, I breathe.

"Wait" Wolfram says, bringing all of our reactions to a halt. He stands up, realising himself from Shibuya's arms and carefully picks up with both hands the shining sphere we all had momentarily forgotten. Then he walks in my direction, stopping right in front of me. For a moment the world is completely silent and our eyes meet.

And just like that, I know exactly what he wants.

That soul belongs to Mirage's son, there's no doubt about it anymore, and in this brief hour or so, it became a perfect sphere. How he must have suffered is beyond what I wish to even imagine and Wolfram witnessed all from the inside... it's only logical that a bond would form between two soul sharing as much as they did, so it's only logical that Wolfram wants to allow this soul to continue living somehow.

"Lord von Bielebed, you do know that what you wish to do requires true desire on your part, and that you will never be able to undo it?" I ask, just so my conscience is at peace, I can see in his eyes he will not take it back.

"Yes" he answers, plainly and without a hint on hesitation.

"Very well then"

I place myself behind Wolfram and put my hands below his. This hug-like position earns me a not so pleased look from both Lord von Voltaire and Shibuya, but right now I can't pause to tease them with a wink or something like that. I need to concentrate, I've never done this to another person besides myself.

I concentrate my marioku just like I would if it were me who wanted to absorb the soul and I feel Wolfram imitating me, I slowly push his hands in the direction of his chest and the soul willingly enters his body.

I take a step back and he turns to face me.

"Thank you" he says with a gentle yet sad smile and walks away to be received by Shibuya's open arms.

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><p>Hi everybody, I know I said this was the last chapter of this story, and it is, <strong>but<strong> I'm also working on an epilogue, so keep an eye on the updates ;)

PS: All this Lord von whatever thing was very tiresome to write, but since it's Ken's POV it had to be like that, I hope it wasn't annoying to read.


	38. Epilogue

**WARNING****: **Chapter written in a haste to post in time, unrevised. Pointing out of spelling and grammar mistakes is appreciated.

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><p><strong>Epilogue . Wolfram<strong>**'****s****POV**

It's been only a couple of years since all of _that_ happened and so much has changed. It's hard to believe sometimes, that this is really how my life looks like nowadays.

The little hand holding on to mine just a second ago is no longer there.

"Dad!" William shouts and jumps into Yuuri's lap, successfully distracting him from his paperwork by throwing half of them to the floor.

"Hey there champ! I thought you and your father were eating breakfast on the garden" Yuuri says and smiles at me while playing with William's hair.

"His hair has really grown this past few months, maybe it's time for a haircut, don't you think?" I say as I walk next to them and put a hand on Yuuri's shoulder massaging it slightly. He leans into the movement, relaxing and smiling kindly.

"I don't wanna!" William protests and jumps back to the floor. The energy of youngsters, really.

"Now, now, William, that's no way to talk to your father, is it?" Yuuri scold him with a loving tone.

William pouts and looks down. He's a sweet kid, but he has had a difficult life. We know very little of exactly what he went through before we found and adopted him a year ago. I kneel down to meet his eyes and make him look at me.

"Why don't you wanna cut your hair, son?" I ask him gently and Yuuri stands up behind me.

"I want to have my hair long like yours, father!" he replies. Now that I think about it, my hair has really grown, I'm not sure when was the last time I cut it. I wear it on a small ponytail so it doesn't bother me. "Besides, I don't like the lady that cut my hair last time"

I look back at Yuuri, who looks like he's thinking the same thing as I.

Only a few weeks after we got married, when we were still on our honeymoon trip to the Karbelnikoff lands, we found William sleeping on the streets on a small touristic town by the shoreside. He had been living practically like an animal for who knows how long and barely spoke a word. His hair was such a mess that we only found out it was blond after it was washed and his amber eyes looked at us with fear and rage. I remember him actually biting the both of us more than once.

Anyhow, we took him with us to the Karbelnikoff castle to clean him up and dress him properly. Unfortunately, Anissina was there at the time and took it upon herself to cut the boy's hair. Even though Anissina is really good with female children, for some reason, which I actually fully understand thinking back to my own childhood, male children don't really like her.

"Don't worry, we'll have my personal barber do it this time, ok?" I say and pat his head. "Now, how about you go find uncle Conrart, your practise session should have started twenty minutes ago"

He nods and flies away from the room with a smile. I remember how fun it was to spar with Conrart when I was a child, so I get the enthusiasm.

I hear Yuuri sighing behind me as he sits back on his chair, moving his head to the side to softly hit his worn out shoulder muscles, trying to bring back some life to the half dead arm that he uses to write.

"Are you sure you don't want me to help you with this? As your husband my signature it's just as valid you know?" I say positioning myself behind him to massage his shoulders once again. I used to always scold him for not fulfilling his duties as the Maou, but now I hardly see him thanks to his new found sense of responsibility.

"No, it's okay. It's my duty anyway. Besides, I like that you spend time with William" I just humph and continue with the rubbing for a while, until I feel his left hand on top of mine. His eyes are still fixated on the peace of paper he's holding with his other hand.

"What is it?" I ask.

"How are you Wolf? I mean, I have been really busy this past few weeks with this new commercial treaty, I feel like I've barely seen you"

I smile to myself and place a soft kiss on the back of his neck, it's nice to know he's been thinking the same thing. Yuuri puts down the documents and pushed the chair back to give me room to sit on his lap. I still feel a bit uncomfortable doing this kind of thing, but I won't say I don't enjoy it.

"You haven't had any _dreams_ lately, right?"

"Nope" That's right, I used to dream about _him_ a lot after I absorbed his soul. They never were bad dreams or nightmares, nothing of the kind. But Yuuri worries that I might feel bad for some reason, the memories maybe?

To be honest, it did bother me that Yuuri feel for the puppy eyed impostor at first, but what I learned in the time I was trapped actually means more. I pitied the boy and realized the fault was neither in Yuuri, nor in him. I guess that is why I decided to do what I did, I didn't wanted that soul to be alone anymore.

I kiss him softly on the lips and he wraps his arms around my waist. He kisses me back and the kiss becomes more heated very quickly. I can feel he has really missed me alright. I pull away before he loses the will to keep working. I can hear him whimper under his breaths as I walk to the door without looking back.

When I reach the door I turn around and see Yuuri going back to his working position reluctantly.

"I'll make sure William sleeps in his room tonight" I give him a knowing smile and turn around, without waiting for his answer, but as I walk away his voice still reaches me.

"You better, love"

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><p>Well guys, that was the end, for real this time.<p>

I hope you have enjoyed reading this incredibly longer story than what I had planned when I started it last year.

My winter vacations are over now (we only got only two weeks! it should be a crime), so I have to start attending my lectures again next week and that means I won't have much time to write, but I hope I can update my other stories once a month. At least I finished this one, so I'm satisfied.

Please tell me what you thought of this story in a review!


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